Rice Cultivar Taggart

ABSTRACT

A rice cultivar designated Taggart is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of rice cultivar Taggart, to the plants of rice Taggart, to methods for producing a rice plant produced by crossing the cultivar Taggart with itself or another rice variety, and to methods for controlling weeds in the vicinity of plants of rice cultivar Taggart, which comprises increased resistance to acetohydroxyacid synthase-inhibiting herbicides. The invention further relates to hybrid rice seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar Taggart with another rice cultivar.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive rice cultivar,designated Taggart. All publications cited in this application areherein incorporated by reference.

Rice is an ancient agricultural crop and is today one of the principalfood crops of the world. There are two cultivated species of rice: Oryzasativa L., the Asian rice, and O. glaberrima Steud., the African rice.O. sativa L. constitutes virtually all of the world's cultivated riceand is the species grown in the United States. Three major riceproducing regions exist in the United States: the Mississippi Delta(Arkansas, Mississippi, northeast Louisiana, southeast Missouri), theGulf Coast (southwest Louisiana, southeast Texas), and the CentralValleys of California.

Rice is a semi-aquatic crop that benefits from flooded soil conditionsduring part or all of the growing season. In the United States, rice isgrown on flooded soils to optimize grain yields. Heavy clay soils orsilt loam soils with hard pan layers about 30 cm below the surface aretypical rice-producing soils because they minimize water losses fromsoil percolation. Rice production in the United States can be broadlycategorized as either dry-seeded or water-seeded. In the dry-seededsystem, rice is sown into a well-prepared seed bed with a grain drill orby broadcasting the seed and incorporating it with a disk or harrow.Moisture for seed germination is from irrigation or rainfall. Anothermethod of planting by the dry-seeded system is to broadcast the seed byairplane into a flooded field, then promptly drain the water from thefield. For the dry-seeded system, when the plants have reachedsufficient size (four- to five-leaf stage), a shallow permanent flood ofwater 5 cm to 16 cm deep is applied to the field for the remainder ofthe crop season.

In the water-seeded system, rice seed is soaked for 12 to 36 hours toinitiate germination, and the seed is broadcast by airplane into aflooded field. The seedlings emerge through a shallow flood, or thewater may be drained from the field for a short period of time toenhance seedling establishment. A shallow flood is maintained until therice approaches maturity. For both the dry-seeded and water-seededproduction systems, the fields are drained when the crop is mature, andthe rice is harvested 2 to 3 weeks later with large combines. In ricebreeding programs, breeders try to employ the production systemspredominant in their respective region. Thus, a drill-seeded breedingnursery is used by breeders in a region where rice is drill-seeded and awater-seeded nursery is used in regions where water-seeding isimportant.

Rice in the United States is classified into three primary market typesby grain size, shape, and chemical composition of the endosperm:long-grain, medium grain and short-grain. Typical U.S. long-graincultivars cook dry and fluffy when steamed or boiled, whereas medium-and short-grain cultivars cook moist and sticky. Long-grain cultivarshave been traditionally grown in the southern states and generallyreceive higher market prices.

Although specific breeding objectives vary somewhat in the differentregions, increasing yield is a primary objective in all programs. Grainyield of rice is determined by the number of panicdes per unit area, thenumber of fertile florets per panicle, and grain weight per floret.Increases in any or all of these yield components may provide amechanism to obtain higher yields. Heritable variation exists for all ofthese components, and breeders may directly or indirectly select forincreases in any of them.

There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirableplant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definitionof problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishmentof program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives.The next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meetthe program goals. The goal is to combine in a single variety animproved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm.These important traits may include higher seed yield, resistance todiseases and insects, better stems and roots, tolerance to lowtemperatures, and better agronomic characteristics on grain quality.

Choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of plantreproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and thetype of cultivar used commercially (e.g., F₁ hybrid cultivar, purelinecultivar, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superiorindividual plants evaluated at a single location will be effective,whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be based onmean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of relatedplants. Popular selection methods commonly include pedigree selection,modified pedigree selection, mass selection, and recurrent selection, ora combination of these methods.

The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method.Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes fora highly heritable trait into a desirable cultivar. This approach hasbeen used extensively for breeding disease-resistant cultivars. Variousrecurrent selection techniques are used to improve quantitativelyinherited traits controlled by numerous genes. The use of recurrentselection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease of pollination,the frequency of successful hybrids from each pollination, and thenumber of hybrid offspring from each successful cross.

Each breeding program should include a periodic, objective evaluation ofthe efficiency of the breeding procedure. Evaluation criteria varydepending on the goal and objectives, but should include gain fromselection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate standard,overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and number of successfulcultivars produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per dollarexpended, etc.).

Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared toappropriate standards in environments representative of the commercialtarget area(s) for three or more years. The best lines are candidatesfor new commercial cultivars; those still deficient in a few traits maybe used as parents to produce new populations for further selection.

These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing anddistribution, usually take from 8 to 12 years from the time the firstcross is made and may rely on the development of improved breeding linesas precursors. Therefore, development of new cultivars is atime-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficientuse of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.

A most difficult task is the identification of individuals that aregenetically superior, because for most traits the true genotypic valueis masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors.One method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performancerelative to other experimental plants and to a widely grown standardcultivar. If a single observation is inconclusive, replicatedobservations provide a better estimate of its genetic worth.

The goal of rice plant breeding is to develop new, unique and superiorrice cultivars and hybrids. The breeder initially selects and crossestwo or more parental lines, followed by self-pollination and selection,producing many new genetic combinations. The breeder can theoreticallygenerate billions of different genetic combinations via crossing,selfing, and mutations. The breeder has no direct control at thecellular level. Therefore, two breeders will never develop the sameline, or even very similar lines, having the same rice traits.

Each year, the plant breeder selects the germplasm to advance to thenext generation. This germplasm is grown under unique and differentgeographical, climatic and soil conditions, and further selections arethen made, during and at the end of the growing season. The cultivarswhich are developed are unpredictable. This unpredictability is becausethe breeder's selection occurs in unique environments, with no controlat the DNA level (using conventional breeding procedures), and withmillions of different possible genetic combinations being generated. Abreeder of ordinary skill in the art cannot predict the final resultinglines he develops, except possibly in a very gross and general fashion.The same breeder cannot produce the same cultivar twice by using theexact same original parents and the same selection techniques. Thisunpredictability results in the expenditure of large amounts of researchmonies to develop superior new rice cultivars.

The development of new rice cultivars requires the development andselection of rice varieties, the crossing of these varieties andselection of superior hybrid crosses. The hybrid seed is produced bymanual crosses between selected male-fertile parents or by using malesterility systems. These hybrids are selected for certain single genetraits such as semi-dwarf plant type, pubescence, awns, and apiculuscolor which indicate that the seed is truly a hybrid. Additional data onparental lines, as well as the phenotype of the hybrid, influence thebreeder's decision whether to continue with the specific hybrid cross.

Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection breeding methods are used todevelop cultivars from breeding populations. Breeding programs combinedesirable traits from two or more cultivars or various broad-basedsources into breeding pools from which cultivars are developed byselfing and selection of desired phenotypes. The new cultivars areevaluated to determine which have commercial potential.

Pedigree breeding is used commonly for the improvement ofself-pollinating crops. Two parents which possess favorable,complementary traits are crossed to produce an F₁. An F₂ population isproduced by selfing one or several F₁'s. Selection of the bestindividuals may begin in the F₂ population; then, beginning in the F₃,the best individuals in the best families are selected. Replicatedtesting of families can begin in the F₄ generation to improve theeffectiveness of selection for traits with low heritability. At anadvanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., F₆ and F₇), the best lines ormixtures of phenotypically similar lines are tested for potentialrelease as new cultivars.

Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations ofeither self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variablepopulation of heterozygous individuals is either identified or createdby intercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selectedbased on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellentcombining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a newpopulation in which further cycles of selection are continued.

Backcross breeding has been used to transfer genes for a simplyinherited, highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivaror inbred line which is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait tobe transferred is called the donor parent. The resulting plant isexpected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar)and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. After theinitial cross, individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parentare selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrentparent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of therecurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferredfrom the donor parent.

The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to plantinga segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, andusing the one seed sample to plant the next generation. When thepopulation has been advanced from the F₂ to the desired level ofinbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace todifferent F₂ individuals. The number of plants in a population declineseach generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plantsto produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F₂ plantsoriginally sampled in the population will be represented by a progenywhen generation advance is completed.

In a multiple-seed procedure, rice breeders commonly harvest one or moreseeds from each plant in a population and thresh them together to form abulk. Part of the bulk is used to plant the next generation and part isput in reserve. The procedure has been referred to as modifiedsingle-seed descent or the pod-bulk technique.

The multiple-seed procedure has been used to save labor at harvest. Itis considerably faster to thresh panicles with a machine than to removeone seed from each by hand for the single-seed procedure. Themultiple-seed procedure also makes it possible to plant the same numberof seeds of a population each generation of inbreeding. Enough seeds areharvested to make up for those plants that did not germinate or produceseed.

Descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used fordifferent traits and crops can be found in one of several referencebooks (e.g., Allard, 1960; Simmonds, 1979; Sneep, et. al, 1979; Fehr,1987).

Proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the level ofsuperiority or improvement over current cultivars. In addition toshowing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new cultivarthat is compatible with industry standards or which creates a newmarket. The introduction of a new cultivar will incur additional coststo the seed producer, the grower, processor and consumer; for specialadvertising and marketing, altered seed and commercial productionpractices, and new product utilization. The testing preceding release ofa new cultivar should take into consideration research and developmentcosts as well as technical superiority of the final cultivar. Forseed-propagated cultivars, it must be feasible to produce seed easilyand economically.

Rice, Oryza sativa L., is an important and valuable field crop. Thus, acontinuing goal of plant breeders is to develop stable, high yieldingrice cultivars that are agronomically sound. The reasons for this goalare obviously to maximize the amount of grain produced on the land usedand to supply food for both animals and humans. To accomplish this goal,the rice breeder must select and develop rice plants that have thetraits that result in superior cultivars.

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations relatedtherewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Otherlimitations of the related are will become apparent to those of skill inthe art upon a reading of the specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described inconjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to beexemplary and illustrative, no limiting in scope. In variousembodiments, one or more of the above described problems have beenreduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to otherimprovements.

According to the invention, there is provided a novel rice cultivardesignated Taggart. This invention thus relates to the seeds of ricecultivar Taggart, to the plants of rice Taggart, and to methods forproducing a rice plant produced by crossing rice Taggart with itself oranother rice line.

Thus, any such methods using rice variety Taggart are part of thisinvention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses topopulations, and the like. All plants produced using rice varietyTaggart as a parent are within the scope of this invention.Advantageously, the rice variety could be used in crosses with other,different, rice plants to produce first generation (F₁) rice hybridseeds and plants with superior characteristics.

In another aspect, the present invention provides for single geneconverted plants of Taggart. The single transferred gene may preferablybe a dominant or recessive allele. Preferably, the single transferredgene will confer such traits as herbicide resistance, insect resistance,resistance for bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, male fertility, malesterility, enhanced nutritional quality, and industrial usage. Thesingle gene may be a naturally occurring rice gene or a transgeneintroduced through genetic engineering techniques.

In another aspect, the present invention provides regenerable cells foruse in tissue culture of rice plant Taggart. The tissue culture willpreferably be capable of regenerating plants having the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of the foregoing rice plant, and ofregenerating plants having substantially the same genotype as theforegoing rice plant. Preferably, the regenerable cells in such tissuecultures will be embryos, protoplasts, meristematic cells, callus,pollen, leaves, anthers, pistils, root tips, flowers, seeds, panicles,or stems. Still further, the present invention provides rice plantsregenerated from the tissue cultures of the invention.

In one aspect, the present invention provides methods for controllingweeds or undesired vegetation in the vicinity of a plant of ricecultivar Taggart. One method comprises applying an effective amount ofan acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS)-inhibiting herbicide, particularlyan imidazolinone herbicide, to the weeds and to a plant of rice cultivarTaggart. Another method comprises contacting a seed of rice cultivarTaggart before sowing and/or after pregermination with an effectiveamount of an AHAS-inhibiting herbicide, particularly an imidazolinoneherbicide. The present invention further provides seeds of rice cultivarTaggart treated with an effective amount of an AHAS-inhibitingherbicide, particularly an imidazolinone herbicide.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above,further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by study of thefollowing descriptions.

DEFINITIONS

In the description and tables which follow, a number of terms are used.In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of thespecification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms,the following definitions are provided:

Alkali Spreading Value. Indicator of gelatinization temperature and anindex that measures the extent of disintegration of milled rice kernelin contact with dilute alkali solution. Standard long grains have 3 to 5Alkali Spreading Value (intermediate gelatinization temperature).

Allele. Allele is any of one or more alternative forms of a gene, all ofwhich relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cell ororganism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding loci on apair of homologous chromosomes.

Apparent Amylose Percent. The most important grain characteristic thatdescribes cooking behavior in each grain class, or type, i.e., long,medium and short grain. The percentage of the endosperm starch of milledrice that is amylose. Standard long grains contain 20 to 23% amylose.Rexmont type long grains contain 24 to 25% amylose. Short and mediumgrains contain 16 to 19% amylose. Waxy rice contains 0% amylose. Amylosevalues will vary over environments.

Backcrossing. Backcrossing is a process in which a breeder repeatedlycrosses hybrid progeny back to one of the parents, for example, a firstgeneration hybrid F₁ with one of the parental genotypes of the F₁hybrid.

Days to 50% heading. Average number of days from emergence to the daywhen 50% of all panicles are exerted at least partially through the leafsheath. A measure of maturity.

Essentially all the Physiological and morphological characteristics. Aplant having essentially all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics means a plant having the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the cultivar, except for the characteristics derivedfrom the converted gene.

Gene Converted (Conversion). Gene converted (conversion) plant refers toplants which are developed by backcrossing, genetic engineering ormutation wherein essentially all of the desired morphological andphysiological characteristics of a variety are recovered in addition tothe one or more traits transferred into the variety via the backcrossingtechnique, genetic engineering, or mutation.

Grain Length (L). Length of a rice grain is measured in millimeters.

Grain Width (W). Width of a rice grain is measured in millimeters.

Grain Yield. Grain yield is measured in pounds per acre and at 12.0%moisture. Grain yield of rice is determined by the number of paniclesper unit area, the number of fertile florets per panicle, and grainweight per floret.

Harvest Moisture. The percent of moisture of the grain when harvested.

Length/Width (L/W) Ratio. This ratio is determined by dividing theaverage length (L) by the average width (W).

Lodging Resistance (also called Straw Strength). Lodging is measured asa subjective rating and is percentage of the plant stems leaning orfallen completely to the ground before harvest. Relative scale.

1000 Grain Wt. The weight of 1000 rice grains as measured in grams.

Plant Height. Plant height in centimeters is taken from soil surface tothe tip of the extended panicle at harvest.

Peak Viscosity. The maximum viscosity attained during heating when astandardized instrument-specific protocol is applied to a defined riceflour-water slurry.

Trough Viscosity. The minimum viscosity after the peak, normallyoccurring when the sample starts to cool.

Final Viscosity. Viscosity at the end of the test or cold paste.

Breakdown. The peak viscosity minus the hot paste viscosity.

Setback. Setback 1 is the final viscosity minus trough viscosity.Setback 2 is the final viscosity minus peak viscosity.

RVA Viscosity. Rapid Visco Analyzer is a widely used laboratoryinstrument to examine paste viscosity, or thickening ability of milledrice during the cooking process.

Hot Paste Viscosity. Viscosity measure of rice flour/water slurry afterbeing heated to 95° C. Lower values indicate softer and stickier cookingtypes of rice.

Cool Paste Viscosity. Viscosity measure of rice flour/water slurry afterbeing heated to 95° C. and uniformly cooled to 50° C. (AmericanAssociation of Cereal Chemist). Values less than 200 for cool pasteindicate softer cooking types of rice.

Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL). Quantitative trait loci (QTL) refer togenetic loci that control to some degree numerically representabletraits that are usually continuously distributed.

Regeneration. Regeneration refers to the development of a plant fromtissue culture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Rice cultivar Taggart originated from a cross made at Stuttgart, Ark. in2000. Rice cultivar Taggart is a very high-yielding, mid-season,long-grain, rice cultivar with maturity similar to rice cultivar ‘Drew.’Plants of rice cultivar Taggart have erect culms, olive-green erectleaves and glabrous lemma, palea, and leaf blades. The lemma and paleaare straw colored with red and purple apiculi, many of which fade tostraw at maturity and some short tip awns on the lemma when grown underhigh fertility. Kernels of rice cultivar are large, with an individualmilled kernel weight of 20.1.

Rice cultivar Taggart has a straw strength similar to rice cultivars‘Francis’ and ‘Wells’ which is an indicator of lodging resistance. On arelative straw strength scale (0=very strong straw, 9=very weak straw),rice cultivars Taggart, ‘Francis’, ‘Wells’, ‘LaGrue’, ‘Drew’,‘Cybonnet’, and ‘Cocodrie’ rated 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 2, and 2, respectively.

Rough rice grain yields of rice cultivar Taggart have consistentlyranked as one of the highest in the Arkansas Rice Performance Trials(ARPT) being equal to the yields of rice cultivars ‘Francis’, ‘LaGrue’,and ‘Wells’ in all three years. In 16 ARPT tests conducted from 2006 to2008, rice cultivars Taggart, ‘Francis’, ‘Wells’, ‘LaGrue’, ‘Cybonnet’,‘Cocodrie’, and ‘Drew’ averaged yields of 9425, 9526, 9274, 9173, 8467,7963, and 8114 kg ha⁻¹ (120 g kg⁻¹ (12%) moisture), respectively. Datafrom the Uniform Regional Rice Nursery (URRN) conducted at Louisiana,Mississippi, and Texas from 2006 to 2008 and Arkansas and Missouri from2007 to 2008, showed that rice cultivar Taggart had an average grainyield of 10,433 kg ha⁻¹ and compared favorably with grain yields of‘Francis’, ‘Wells’, ‘Cybonnet’, and ‘Cocodrie’ at 10,181, 10,030, 9274,9727 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Milling yields (mg g⁻¹ whole kernel:mg g⁻¹total milled rice) at 120 mg g⁻¹ moisture from the ARPT from 2006 to2008 averaged 570:710, 580:690, 540:710, 560:700, 610:710, 620:710, and580:700 for rice cultivars Taggart, ‘Francis’, ‘Wells’, ‘LaGrue’,‘Cybonnet’, ‘Cocodrie’, and ‘Drew’, respectively. Milling yields for theURRN during the same period of time, 2006 to 2008, averaged 560:710,570:680, 560:690, 640:710, and 580:700, for rice cultivars Taggart,‘Francis’, ‘Wells’, ‘Cybonnet’, and ‘Cocodrie’, respectively.

The cultivar has shown uniformity and stability as described in thefollowing variety description information. It has been self-pollinated asufficient number of generations with careful attention to uniformity ofplant type. The variety has been increased with continued observationfor uniformity.

Rice cultivar Taggart has the following morphologic and othercharacteristics (based primarily on data collected at Stuttgart, Ark.).

TABLE 1 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION Plant: Grain type: Long Days tomaturity (50% heading): About 93 Plant height: Average is 113 cm Plantcolor (at booting): Olive-green Culm: Angle (degrees from perpendicularafter flowering): Erect (less than 30°) Flag Leaf (after heading):Pubescence: Glabrous Leaf angle (after heading): Erect to IntermediateBlade color: Olive-green Panicle: Length: 25.6 cm (range is 17.2 cm to30.2 cm) Type: Intermediate Exsertion (near maturity): Moderately-wellAxis: Droopy Shattering: Low (1-5%) Grain (Spikelet): Awns (after fullheading): Absent but can have tip awns at high fertility Apiculus color(at maturity): Red and purple often fading to straw (have some seedswhich fade at maturity) Stigma color: White Lemma and palea color (atmaturity): Straw Lemma and palea pubescence: Glabrous Grain (Seed): Seedcoat (bran) color: Light-brown Endosperm type: Non-glutinous Scent:Non-aromatic Shape class (length/width ratio): Paddy: Long (3.4:1 andmore) Brown: Long (3.1:1 and more) Milled: Long (3.0:1 and more) Size:Approximately 20.5 g/1000 seed milled rice (range is 19.0 to 22.0 g/1000seed milled rice) Starch amylose content: 22.3 g kg⁻¹ Alkali spreadingvalue: 3 to 5 (17 g kg⁻¹ KOH Solution) Gelatinization temperature type:Intermediate (70° C. to 75° C.) Disease Resistance: Rice Blast(Pyricularia grisea (Cooke) Sacc.): Susceptible to races IB-1, IB-33,IB-49, IC-17, IE-1, and IE-1K Leaf Smut (Entyloma oryzae Syd. and P.Syd.): Moderately resistant Brown Spot (Cochliobolus miyabeanus (Ito &Kuribayashi in Ito) Drechs. ex Dastur): Resistant Kernel Smut (Tilletiabarclayana (Bref.) Sacc. and Syd. in Sacc.): Susceptible Stem Rot(Sclerotium oryzae): Susceptible Sheath Blight (Rhizoctonia solaniKühn): Moderately susceptible False Smut (Ustilaginoidea virens (Cooke)Takah): Susceptible Crown (black) Sheath Rot: Moderately susceptibleBacterial Panicle Blight: Moderately susceptible Straighthead:Moderately susceptible Narrow Brown Leaf Spot (Cercospora oryzaeMiyake): Moderately susceptible Pest Resistance: Rice Stink Bug (Oebaluspugnax): Susceptible for discolored kernels

This invention also is directed to methods for producing a rice plant bycrossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plantwherein either the first or second parent rice plant is a rice plant ofthe line Taggart. Further, both first and second parent rice plants cancome from the rice cultivar Taggart. Still further, this invention alsois directed to methods for producing a rice cultivar Taggart-derivedrice plant by crossing rice cultivar Taggart with a second rice plantand growing the progeny seed, and repeating the crossing and growingsteps with the rice cultivar Taggart-derived plant from 0 to 7 times.Thus, any such methods using the rice cultivar Taggart are part of thisinvention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses topopulations, and the like. All plants produced using rice cultivarTaggart as a parent are within the scope of this invention, includingplants derived from rice cultivar Taggart. Advantageously, the ricecultivar is used in crosses with other, different, rice cultivars toproduce first generation (F₁) rice seeds and plants with superiorcharacteristics.

It should be understood that the cultivar can, through routinemanipulation of cytoplasmic or other factors, be produced in amale-sterile form. Such embodiments are also contemplated within thescope of the present claims.

As used herein, the term plant includes plant cells, plant protoplasts,plant cell tissue cultures from which rice plants can be regenerated,plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intact in plants orparts of plants, such as embryos, pollen, ovules, flowers, glumes,panicles, leaves, stems, roots, root tips, anthers, pistils, and thelike.

Further Embodiments of the Invention Transformation Techniques

With the advent of molecular biological techniques that have allowed theisolation and characterization of genes that encode specific proteinproducts, scientists in the field of plant biology developed a stronginterest in engineering the genome of plants to contain and expressforeign genes, or additional, or modified versions of native, orendogenous, genes (perhaps driven by different promoters) in order toalter the traits of a plant in a specific manner. Such foreignadditional and/or modified genes are referred to herein collectively as“transgenes.” Over the last fifteen to twenty years, several methods forproducing transgenic plants have been developed, and the presentinvention, in particular embodiments, also relates to transformedversions of the claimed cultivar.

Culture for expressing desired structural genes and cultured cells areknown in the art. Also as known in the art, rice is transformable andregenerable such that whole plants containing and expressing desiredgenes under regulatory control may be obtained. General descriptions ofplant expression vectors and reporter genes and transformation protocolscan be found in Gruber, et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation,” inMethods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick and ThompsonEds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 89-119 (1993)). Moreover GUSexpression vectors and GUS gene cassettes are available from Clone TechLaboratories, Inc. (Palo Alto, Calif.), while luciferase expressionvectors and luciferase gene cassettes are available from Pro Mega Corp.(Madison, Wis.). General methods of culturing plant tissues are providedfor example by Miki, et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNAinto Plants” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology,Glick and Thompson Eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 67-88 (1993));and by Phillips, et al., “Cell-Tissue Culture and In-Vitro Manipulation”in Corn & Corn Improvement, 3rd Edition, Sprague, et al., (Eds., pp.345-387, American Society of Agronomy Inc. (1988)). Methods ofintroducing expression vectors into plant tissue include the directinfection or co-cultivation of plant cells with Agrobacteriumtumefaciens, described for example by Horsch, et al., Science, 227:1229(1985). Descriptions of Agrobacterium vector systems and methods forAgrobacterium-mediated gene transfer are provided by Gruber, et al.,supra.

Useful methods include but are not limited to expression vectorsintroduced into plant tissues using a direct gene transfer method suchas microprojectile-mediated delivery, DNA injection, electroporation,and the like. More preferably expression vectors are introduced intoplant tissues using a microprojectile media delivery system with abiolistic device or using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.Transformant plants obtained with the protoplasm of the invention areintended to be within the scope of this invention.

Plant transformation involves the construction of an expression vectorwhich will function in plant cells. Such a vector comprises DNAcomprising a gene under control of or operatively linked to a regulatoryelement (for example, a promoter). The expression vector may contain oneor more such operably linked gene/regulatory element combinations. Thevector(s) may be in the form of a plasmid, and can be used alone or incombination with other plasmids, to provide transformed rice plants,using transformation methods as described below to incorporatetransgenes into the genetic material of the rice plant(s).

Expression Vectors for Transformation: Marker Genes

Expression vectors include at least one genetic marker, operably linkedto a regulatory element (a promoter, for example) that allowstransformed cells containing the marker to be either recovered bynegative selection, i.e., inhibiting growth of cells that do not containthe selectable marker gene, or by positive selection, i.e., screeningfor the product encoded by the genetic marker. Many commonly usedselectable marker genes for plant transformation are well known in thetransformation arts, and include, for example, genes that code forenzymes that metabolically detoxify a selective chemical agent which maybe an antibiotic or an herbicide, or genes that encode an altered targetwhich is insensitive to the inhibitor. A few positive selection methodsare also known in the art.

One commonly used selectable marker gene for plant transformation is theneomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene, isolated from transposonTn5, which when placed under the control of plant regulatory signalsconfers resistance to kanamycin. Fraley, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.U.S.A., 80:4803 (1983). Another commonly used selectable marker gene isthe hygromycin phosphotransferase gene which confers resistance to theantibiotic hygromycin. Vanden Elzen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 5:299(1985).

Additional selectable marker genes of bacterial origin that conferresistance to antibiotics include gentamycin acetyl transferase,streptomycin phosphotransferase, and aminoglycoside-3′-adenyltransferase, the bleomycin resistance determinant. Hayford, et al.,Plant Physiol., 86:1216 (1988); Jones, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 210:86(1987); Svab, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 14:197 (1990); Hille, et al.,Plant Mol. Biol., 7:171 (1986). Other selectable marker genes conferresistance to herbicides such as glyphosate, glufosinate, or bromoxynil.Comai, et al., Nature, 317:741-744 (1985); Gordon-Kamm, et al., PlantCell, 2:603-618 (1990), and Stalker, et al., Science, 242:419-423(1988).

Selectable marker genes for plant transformation not of bacterial origininclude, for example, mouse dihydrofolate reductase, plant5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, and plant acetolactatesynthase. Eichholtz, et al., Somatic Cell Mol. Genet., 13:67 (1987);Shah, et al., Science, 233:478 (1986); Charest, et al., Plant Cell Rep.,8:643 (1990).

Another class of marker genes for plant transformation requiresscreening of presumptively transformed plant cells rather than directgenetic selection of transformed cells for resistance to a toxicsubstance such as an antibiotic. These genes are particularly useful toquantify or visualize the spatial pattern of expression of a gene inspecific tissues and are frequently referred to as reporter genesbecause they can be fused to a gene or gene regulatory sequence for theinvestigation of gene expression. Commonly used genes for screeningpresumptively transformed cells include β-glucuronidase (GUS,β-galactosidase, luciferase and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase.Jefferson, R. A., Plant Mol. Biol. Rep., 5:387 (1987); Teeri, et al.,EMBO J., 8:343 (1989); Koncz, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.,84:131 (1987); DeBlock, et al., EMBO J., 3:1681 (1984). Another approachto the identification of relatively rare transformation events has beenuse of a gene that encodes a dominant constitutive regulator of the Zeamays anthocyanin pigmentation pathway. Ludwig, et al., Science, 247:449(1990).

In vivo methods for visualizing GUS activity that do not requiredestruction of plant tissue are available. Molecular Probes Publication2908, IMAGENE GREEN, pp. 1-4 (1993) and Naleway, et al., J. Cell Biol.,115:151a (1991). However, these in vivo methods for visualizing GUSactivity have not proven useful for recovery of transformed cellsbecause of low sensitivity, high fluorescent backgrounds and limitationsassociated with the use of luciferase genes as selectable markers.

More recently, a gene encoding Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) has beenutilized as a marker for gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryoticcells. Chalfie, et al., Science, 263:802 (1994). GFP and mutants of GFPmay be used as screenable markers.

Expression Vectors for Transformation: Promoters

Genes included in expression vectors must be driven by nucleotidesequence comprising a regulatory element, for example, a promoter.Several types of promoters are now well known in the transformationarts, as are other regulatory elements that can be used alone or incombination with promoters.

As used herein, “promoter” includes reference to a region of DNAupstream from the start of transcription and involved in recognition andbinding of RNA polymerase and other proteins to initiate transcription.A “plant promoter” is a promoter capable of initiating transcription inplant cells. Examples of promoters under developmental control includepromoters that preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues,such as leaves, roots, seeds, fibers, xylem vessels, tracheids, orsclerenchyma. Such promoters are referred to as “tissue-preferred.”Promoters which initiate transcription only in certain tissue arereferred to as “tissue-specific.” A “cell type” specific promoterprimarily drives expression in certain cell types in one or more organs,for example, vascular cells in roots or leaves. An “inducible” promoteris a promoter which is under environmental control. Examples ofenvironmental conditions that may effect transcription by induciblepromoters include anaerobic conditions or the presence of light.Tissue-specific, tissue-preferred, cell type specific, and induciblepromoters constitute the class of “non-constitutive” promoters. A“constitutive” promoter is a promoter which is active under mostenvironmental conditions.

A. Inducible Promoters—An inducible promoter is operably linked to agene for expression in rice. Optionally, the inducible promoter isoperably linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequencewhich is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice. With aninducible promoter the rate of transcription increases in response to aninducing agent.

Any inducible promoter can be used in the instant invention. See, Ward,et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 22:361-366 (1993). Exemplary induciblepromoters include, but are not limited to, that from the ACEI systemwhich responds to copper (Meft, et al., PNAS, 90:4567-4571 (1993)); in2gene from maize which responds to benzenesulfonamide herbicide safeners(Hershey, et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 227:229-237 (1991) and Gatz, etal., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 243:32-38 (1994)) or Tet repressor from Tn10(Gatz, et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 227:229-237 (1991)). A particularlypreferred inducible promoter is a promoter that responds to an inducingagent to which plants do not normally respond. An exemplary induciblepromoter is the inducible promoter from a steroid hormone gene, thetranscriptional activity of which is induced by a glucocorticosteroidhormone (Schena, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 88:0421 (1991)).

B. Constitutive Promoters—A constitutive promoter is operably linked toa gene for expression in rice or the constitutive promoter is operablylinked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which isoperably linked to a gene for expression in rice.

Many different constitutive promoters can be utilized in the instantinvention. Exemplary constitutive promoters include, but are not limitedto, the promoters from plant viruses such as the 35S promoter from CaMV(Odell, et al., Nature, 313:810-812 (1985)) and the promoters from suchgenes as rice actin (McElroy, et al., Plant Cell, 2:163-171 (1990));ubiquitin (Christensen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 12:619-632 (1989) andChristensen, et al., Plant Mol. Biol, 18:675-689 (1992)); pEMU (Last, etal., Theor. Appl. Genet., 81:581-588 (1991)); MAS (Velten, et al., EMBOJ., 3:2723-2730 (1984)); and maize H3 histone (Lepetit, et al., Mol.Gen. Genetics, 231:276-285 (1992) and Atanassova, et al., Plant Journal2 (3): 291-300 (1992)).

The ALS promoter, Xba1/NcoI fragment 5′ to the Brassica napus ALS3structural gene (or a nucleotide sequence similarity to said Xba1/NcoIfragment), represents a particularly useful constitutive promoter. See,PCT Appl. No. WO 96/30530.

C. Tissue-specific or Tissue-preferred Promoters—A tissue-specificpromoter is operably linked to a gene for expression in rice.Optionally, the tissue-specific promoter is operably linked to anucleotide sequence encoding a signal sequence which is operably linkedto a gene for expression in rice. Plants transformed with a gene ofinterest operably linked to a tissue-specific promoter produce theprotein product of the transgene exclusively, or preferentially, in aspecific tissue.

Any tissue-specific or tissue-preferred promoter can be utilized in theinstant invention. Exemplary tissue-specific or tissue-preferredpromoters include, but are not limited to, a root-preferred promoter,such as that from the phaseolin gene (Murai, et al., Science, 23:476-482(1983) and Sengupta-Gopalan, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.,82:3320-3324 (1985)); a leaf-specific and light-induced promoter such asthat from cab or rubisco (Simpson, et al., EMBO J., 4(11):2723-2729(1985) and Timko, et al., Nature, 318:579-582 (1985)); ananther-specific promoter such as that from LAT52 (Twell, et al., Mol.Gen. Genetics, 217:240-245 (1989)); a pollen-specific promoter such asthat from Zm13 (Guerrero, et al., Mol. Gen. Genetics, 244:161-168(1993)) or a microspore-preferred promoter such as that from apg (Twell,et al., Sex. Plant Reprod., 6:217-224 (1993)).

Signal Sequences for Targeting Proteins to Subcellular Compartments

Transport of protein produced by transgenes to a subcellular compartmentsuch as the chloroplast, vacuole, peroxisome, glyoxysome, cell wall, ormitochondrion, or for secretion into the apoplast, is accomplished bymeans of operably linking the nucleotide sequence encoding a signalsequence to the 5′ and/or 3′ region of a gene encoding the protein ofinterest. Targeting sequences at the 5′ and/or 3′ end of the structuralgene may determine, during protein synthesis and processing, where theencoded protein is ultimately compartmentalized.

The presence of a signal sequence directs a polypeptide to either anintracellular organelle or subcellular compartment or for secretion tothe apoplast. Many signal sequences are known in the art. See, forexample, Becker, et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 20:49 (1992); Close, P. S.,Master's Thesis, Iowa State University (1993); Knox, C., et al., PlantMol. Biol., 9:3-17 (1987); Lerner, et al., Plant Physiol., 91:124-129(1989); Fontes, et al., Plant Cell, 3:483-496 (1991); Matsuoka, et al.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 88:834 (1991); Gould, et al., J. Cell. Biol.,108:1657 (1989); Creissen, et al., Plant J., 2:129 (1991); Kalderon, etal., Cell, 39:499-509 (1984); Steifel, et al., Plant Cell, 2:785-793(1990).

Foreign Protein Genes and Agronomic Genes

With transgenic plants according to the present invention, a foreignprotein can be produced in commercial quantities. Thus, techniques forthe selection and propagation of transformed plants, which are wellunderstood in the art, yield a plurality of transgenic plants which areharvested in a conventional manner, and a foreign protein then can beextracted from a tissue of interest or from total biomass. Proteinextraction from plant biomass can be accomplished by known methods whichare discussed, for example, by Heney and Orr, Anal. Biochem., 114:92-6(1981).

According to a preferred embodiment, the transgenic plant provided forcommercial production of foreign protein is rice. In another preferredembodiment, the biomass of interest is seed. For the relatively smallnumber of transgenic plants that show higher levels of expression, agenetic map can be generated, primarily via conventional RFLP, PCR, andSSR analysis, which identifies the approximate chromosomal location ofthe integrated DNA molecule. For exemplary methodologies in this regard,see Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick andThompson Eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 269-284 (1993)). Mapinformation concerning chromosomal location is useful for proprietaryprotection of a subject transgenic plant. If unauthorized propagation isundertaken and crosses made with other germplasm, the map of theintegration region can be compared to similar maps for suspect plants,to determine if the latter have a common parentage with the subjectplant. Map comparisons would involve hybridizations, RFLP, PCR, SSR, andsequencing, all of which are conventional techniques.

Through the transformation of rice, the expression of genes can bealtered to enhance disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicideresistance, agronomic quality and other traits. Transformation can alsobe used to insert DNA sequences which control or help controlmale-sterility. DNA sequences native to rice as well as non-native DNAsequences can be transformed into rice and used to alter levels ofnative or non-native proteins. Various promoters, targeting sequences,enhancing sequences, and other DNA sequences can be inserted into thegenome for the purpose of altering the expression of proteins. Reductionof the activity of specific genes (also known as gene silencing, or genesuppression) is desirable for several aspects of genetic engineering inplants.

Many techniques for gene silencing are well-known to one of skill in theart, including, but not limited to, knock-outs (such as by insertion ofa transposable element such as mu (Vicki Chandler, The Maize Handbook,ch. 118, Springer-Verlag (1994)) or other genetic elements such as aFRT, Lox, or other site specific integration site, antisense technology(see, e.g., Sheehy, et al., PNAS USA, 85:8805-8809 (1988); and U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,107,065; 5,453,566; and 5,759,829); co-suppression (e.g., Taylor,Plant Cell, 9:1245 (1997); Jorgensen, Trends Biotech., 8(12):340-344(1990); Flavell, PNAS USA, 91:3490-3496 (1994); Finnegan, et al.,Bio/Technology, 12: 883-888 (1994); and Neuhuber, et al., Mol. Gen.Genet., 244:230-241 (1994)); RNA interference (Napoli, et al., PlantCell, 2:279-289 (1990); U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,323; Sharp, Genes Dev.,13:139-141 (1999); Zamore, et al., Cell, 101:25-33 (2000); andMontgomery, et al., PNAS USA, 95:15502-15507 (1998)); virus-induced genesilencing (Burton, et al., Plant Cell, 12:691-705 (2000); and Baulcombe,Curr. Op. Plant Bio., 2:109-113 (1999)); target-RNA-specific ribozymes(Haseloff, et al., Nature, 334: 585-591 (1988)); hairpin structures(Smith, et al., Nature, 407:319-320 (2000); WO 99/53050; and WO98/53083); MicroRNA (Aukerman & Sakai, Plant Cell, 15:2730-2741 (2003));ribozymes (Steinecke, et al., EMBO J., 11:1525 (1992); and Perriman, etal., Antisense Res. Dev., 3:253 (1993)); oligonucleotide mediatedtargeted modification (e.g., PCT Publication Nos. WO 03/076574 and WO99/25853); Zn-finger targeted molecules (e.g., PCT Publication Nos. WO01/52620; WO 03/048345; and WO 00/42219); and other methods orcombinations of the above methods known to those of skill in the art.

Likewise, by means of the present invention, agronomic genes can beexpressed in transformed plants. More particularly, plants can begenetically engineered to express various phenotypes of agronomicinterest. Exemplary genes implicated in this regard include, but are notlimited to, those categorized below:

1. Genes that Confer Resistance to Pests or Disease and that Encode:

A. Plant disease resistance genes. Plant defenses are often activated byspecific interaction between the product of a disease resistance gene(R) in the plant and the product of a corresponding avirulence (Avr)gene in the pathogen. A plant cultivar can be transformed with clonedresistance gene to engineer plants that are resistant to specificpathogen strains. See, for example, Jones, et al., Science, 266:789(1994) (cloning of the tomato Cf-9 gene for resistance to Cladosporiumfulvum); Martin, et al., Science, 262:1432 (1993) (tomato Pto gene forresistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato encodes a protein kinase);Mindrinos, et al., Cell, 78:1089 (1994) (Arabidopsis RSP2 gene forresistance to Pseudomonas syringae); McDowell & Woffenden, TrendsBiotechnol., 21(4):178-83 (2003); and Toyoda, et al., Transgenic Res.,11 (6):567-82 (2002).

B. A Bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof or a syntheticpolypeptide modeled thereon. See, for example, Geiser, et al., Gene,48:109 (1986), who disclose the cloning and nucleotide sequence of a Btδ-endotoxin gene. Moreover, DNA molecules encoding δ-endotoxin genes canbe purchased from American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Va., forexample, under ATCC Accession Nos. 40098, 67136, 31995, and 31998.

C. A lectin. See, for example, the disclosure by Van Damme, et al.,Plant Molec. Biol., 24:25 (1994), who disclose the nucleotide sequencesof several Clivia miniata mannose-binding lectin genes.

D. A vitamin-binding protein such as avidin. See, PCT Appl. No. US93/06487. The application teaches the use of avidin and avidinhomologues as larvicides against insect pests.

E. An enzyme inhibitor, for example, a protease or proteinase inhibitoror an amylase inhibitor. See, for example, Abe, et al., J. Biol. Chem.,262:16793 (1987) (nucleotide sequence of rice cysteine proteinaseinhibitor); Huub, et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 21:985 (1993) (nucleotidesequence of cDNA encoding tobacco proteinase inhibitor I); Sumitani, etal., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 57:1243 (1993) (nucleotide sequence ofStreptomyces nitrosporeus α-amylase inhibitor).

F. An insect-specific hormone or pheromone such as an ecdysteroid andjuvenile hormone, a variant thereof, a mimetic based thereon, or anantagonist or agonist thereof. See, for example, the disclosure byHammock, et al., Nature, 344:458 (1990), of baculovirus expression ofcloned juvenile hormone esterase, an inactivator of juvenile hormone.

G. An insect-specific peptide or neuropeptide which, upon expression,disrupts the physiology of the affected pest. For example, see thedisclosures of Regan, J. Biol. Chem., 269:9 (1994) (expression cloningyields DNA coding for insect diuretic hormone receptor), and Pratt, etal., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 163:1243 (1989) (an allostatin isidentified in Diploptera puntata). See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,317 toTomalski, et al., who disclose genes encoding insect-specific, paralyticneurotoxins.

H. An insect-specific venom produced in nature by a snake, a wasp, etc.For example, see Pang, et al., Gene, 116:165 (1992), for disclosure ofheterologous expression in plants of a gene coding for a scorpioninsectotoxic peptide.

I. An enzyme responsible for a hyper-accumulation of a monoterpene, asesquiterpene, a steroid, a hydroxamic acid, a phenylpropanoidderivative or another non-protein molecule with insecticidal activity.

J. An enzyme involved in the modification, including thepost-translational modification, of a biologically active molecule; forexample, a glycolytic enzyme, a proteolytic enzyme, a lipolytic enzyme,a nuclease, a cyclase, a transaminase, an esterase, a hydrolase, aphosphatase, a kinase, a phosphorylase, a polymerase, an elastase, achitinase, and a glucanase, whether natural or synthetic. See, PCTPublication No. WO 93/02197 in the name of Scott, et al., whichdiscloses the nucleotide sequence of a callase gene. DNA molecules whichcontain chitinase-encoding sequences can be obtained, for example, fromthe ATCC under Accession Nos. 39637 and 67152. See also, Kramer, et al.,Insect Biochem. Molec. Biol., 23:691 (1993), who teach the nucleotidesequence of a cDNA encoding tobacco hornworm chitinase, and Kawalleck,et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 21:673 (1993), who provide the nucleotidesequence of the parsley ubi4-2 polyubiquitin gene.

K. A molecule that stimulates signal transduction. For example, see thedisclosure by Botella, et al., Plant Molec. Biol., 24:757 (1994), ofnucleotide sequences for mung bean calmodulin cDNA clones, and Griess,et al., Plant Physiol., 104:1467 (1994), who provide the nucleotidesequence of a maize calmodulin cDNA clone.

L. A hydrophobic moment peptide. See, PCT Publication No. WO 95/16776(disclosure of peptide derivatives of Tachyplesin which inhibit fungalplant pathogens) and PCT Publication No. WO 95/18855 (teaches syntheticantimicrobial peptides that confer disease resistance), the respectivecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

M. A membrane permease, a channel former or a channel blocker. Forexample, see the disclosure of Jaynes, et al., Plant Sci, 89:43 (1993),of heterologous expression of a cecropin-β, lytic peptide analog torender transgenic tobacco plants resistant to Pseudomonas solanacearum.

N. A viral-invasive protein or a complex toxin derived therefrom. Forexample, the accumulation of viral coat proteins in transformed plantcells imparts resistance to viral infection and/or disease developmenteffected by the virus from which the coat protein gene is derived, aswell as by related viruses. See, Beachy, et al., Ann. Rev. Phytopathol.,28:451 (1990). Coat protein-mediated resistance has been conferred upontransformed plants against alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus,tobacco streak virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y, tobacco etchvirus, tobacco rattle virus, and tobacco mosaic virus. Id.

O. An insect-specific antibody or an immunotoxin derived therefrom.Thus, an antibody targeted to a critical metabolic function in theinsect gut would inactivate an affected enzyme, killing the insect. Cf.Taylor, et al., Abstract #497, Seventh International Symposium onMolecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (Edinburgh, Scotland (1994))(enzymatic inactivation in transgenic tobacco via production ofsingle-chain antibody fragments).

P. A virus-specific antibody. See, for example, Tavladoraki, et al.,Nature, 366:469 (1993), who show that transgenic plants expressingrecombinant antibody genes are protected from virus attack.

Q. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a pathogen ora parasite. Thus, fungal endo-α-1,4-D-polygalacturonases facilitatefungal colonization and plant nutrient release by solubilizing plantcell wall homo-α-1,4-D-galacturonase. See, Lamb, et al., Bio/Technology,10:1436 (1992). The cloning and characterization of a gene which encodesa bean endopolygalacturonase-inhibiting protein is described by Toubart,et al., Plant J., 2:367 (1992).

R. A developmental-arrestive protein produced in nature by a plant. Forexample, Logemann, et al., Bio/Technology, 10:305 (1992), have shownthat transgenic plants expressing the barley ribosome-inactivating genehave an increased resistance to fungal disease.

S. Genes involved in the Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) Responseand/or the pathogenesis-related genes. Briggs, S., Current Biology, 5(2)(1995); Pieterse & Van Loon, Curr. Opin. Plant Bio., 7(4):456-64 (2004)and Somssich, Cell, 113(7):815-6 (2003).

T. Antifungal genes. See, Cornelissen and Melchers, Plant Physiol.,101:709-712 (1993); Parijs, et al., Planta, 183:258-264 (1991) andBushnell, et al., Can. J. of Plant Path., 20(2):137-149 (1998). Seealso, U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,907.

U. Detoxification genes, such as for fumonisin, beauvericin,moniliformin, and zearalenone, and their structurally relatedderivatives. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,931.

V. Cystatin and cysteine proteinase inhibitors. See U.S. Pat. No.7,205,453.

W. Defensin genes. See PCT Publication No. WO 03/000863 and U.S. Pat.No. 6,911,577.

2. Genes that Confer Resistance to an Herbicide, for Example:

A. An herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such as animidazolinone or a sulfonylurea. Exemplary genes in this category codefor mutant ALS and AHAS enzyme as described, for example, by Lee, etal., EMBO J., 7:1241 (1988) and Miki, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet.,80:449 (1990), respectively.

B. Glyphosate (resistance conferred by mutant5-enolpyruvlshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSP) and aroA genes,respectively) and other phosphono compounds such as glufosinate(phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT) and Streptomyceshygroscopicus PAT, bar, genes), and pyridinoxy or phenoxy propionicacids and cyclohexones (ACCase inhibitor-encoding genes). See, forexample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,835 to Shah, et al., which discloses thenucleotide sequence of a form of EPSP which can confer glyphosateresistance. A DNA molecule encoding a mutant aroA gene can be obtainedunder ATCC Accession No. 39256, and the nucleotide sequence of themutant gene is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,061 to Comai. EuropeanPat. Appl. No. 0 333 033 to Kumada, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,374to Goodman, et al., disclose nucleotide sequences of glutaminesynthetase genes which confer resistance to herbicides such asL-phosphinothricin. The nucleotide sequence of a PAT gene is provided inEuropean Pat. Appl. No. 0 242 246 to Leemans, et al. DeGreef, et al.,Bio/Technology, 7:61 (1989), describe the production of transgenicplants that express chimeric bar genes coding for PAT activity.Exemplary of genes conferring resistance to phenoxy propionic acids andcyclohexones, such as sethoxydim and haloxyfop are the Acc1-S1, Acc1-S2,and Acc1-S3 genes described by Marshall, et al., Theor. Appl. Genet.,83:435 (1992).

C. An herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine (psbAand gs+genes) or a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene). Przibilla, et al.,Plant Cell, 3:169 (1991), describe the transformation of Chlamydomonaswith plasmids encoding mutant psbA genes. Nucleotide sequences fornitrilase genes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 to Stalker, andDNA molecules containing these genes are available under ATCC AccessionNos. 53435, 67441, and 67442. Cloning and expression of DNA coding for aglutathione S-transferase is described by Hayes, et al., Biochem. J.,285:173 (1992).

3. Genes that Confer or Contribute to a Value-Added Trait, such as:

A. Modified fatty acid metabolism, for example, by transforming a plantwith an antisense gene of stearyl-ACP desaturase to increase stearicacid content of the plant. See, Knultzon, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.U.S.A., 89:2624 (1992).

B. Decreased phytate content. 1) Introduction of a phytase-encoding genewould enhance breakdown of phytate, adding more free phosphate to thetransformed plant. For example, see, Van Hartingsveldt, et al., Gene,127:87 (1993), for a disclosure of the nucleotide sequence of anAspergillus niger phytase gene; 2) A gene could be introduced thatreduced phytate content. In maize, this, for example, could beaccomplished by cloning and then reintroducing DNA associated with thesingle allele which is responsible for maize mutants characterized bylow levels of phytic acid. See, Raboy, et al., Maydica, 35:383 (1990).

C. Modified carbohydrate composition effected, for example, bytransforming plants with a gene coding for an enzyme that alters thebranching pattern of starch. See, Shiroza, et al., J. Bacteol., 170:810(1988) (nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus mutantsfructosyltransferase gene); Steinmetz, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 20:220(1985) (nucleotide sequence of Bacillus subtilis levansucrase gene);Pen, et al., Bio/Technology, 10:292 (1992) (production of transgenicplants that express Bacillus lichenifonnis α-amylase); Elliot, et al.,Plant Molec. Biol., 21:515 (1993) (nucleotide sequences of tomatoinvertase genes); Søgaard, et al., J. Biol. Chem., 268:22480 (1993)(site-directed mutagenesis of barley α-amylase gene); and Fisher, etal., Plant Physiol., 102:1045 (1993) (maize endosperm starch branchingenzyme 11).

4. Genes that Control Male Sterility:

There are several methods of conferring genetic male sterilityavailable, such as multiple mutant genes at separate locations withinthe genome that confer male sterility, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.4,654,465 and 4,727,219 to Brar, et al., and chromosomal translocationsas described by Patterson in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,861,709 and 3,710,511. Inaddition to these methods, Albertsen, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,068,describes a system of nuclear male sterility which includes: identifyinga gene which is critical to male fertility; silencing this native genewhich is critical to male fertility; removing the native promoter fromthe essential male fertility gene and replacing it with an induciblepromoter; inserting this genetically engineered gene back into theplant; and thus creating a plant that is male sterile because theinducible promoter is not “on” resulting in the male fertility gene notbeing transcribed. Fertility is restored by inducing, or turning “on,”the promoter, which in turn allows the gene that confers male fertilityto be transcribed.

A. A tapetum-specific gene, RTS, a rice anther-specific gene is requiredfor male fertility and its promoter sequence directs tissue-specificgene expression in different plant species. Luo, Hong, et. al., PlantMolecular Biology., 62(3): 397-408(12) (2006). Introduction of adeacetylase gene under the control of a tapetum-specific promoter andwith the application of the chemical N-Ac-PPT. See InternationalPublication No. WO 01/29237.

B. Introduction of various stamen-specific promoters. Riceanther-specific promoters which are of particular utility in theproduction of transgenic male-sterile monocots and plants for restoringtheir fertility. See, U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,948. See also, InternationalPublication Nos. WO 92/13956 and WO 92/13957.

C. Introduction of the barnase and the barstar genes. See, Paul, et al.,Plant Mol. Biol., 19:611-622 (1992).

For additional examples of nuclear male and female sterility systems andgenes, see also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,859,341, 6,297,426, 5,478,369,5,824,524, 5,850,014, and 6,265,640. See also, Hanson, Maureen R., et.al., “Interactions of Mitochondrial and Nuclear Genes That Affect MaleGametophyte Development,” Plant Cell., 16:S154-S169 (2004), all of whichare hereby incorporated by reference.

5. Genes that Create a Site for Site Specific DNA Integration:

This includes the introduction of FRT sites that may be used in theFLP/FRT system and/or Lox sites that may be used in the Cre/Loxp system.For example, see, Lyznik, et al., Site-Specific Recombination forGenetic Engineering in Plants, Plant Cell Rep, 21:925-932 (2003) andInternational Publication No. WO 99/25821, which are hereby incorporatedby reference. Other systems that may be used include the Gin recombinaseof phage Mu (Maeser, et al. (1991); Vicki Chandler, The Maize Handbook,ch. 118, Springer-Verlag (1994), the Pin recombinase of E. coli(Enomoto, et al. (1983)), and the R/RS system of the pSRi plasmid(Araki, et al. (1992)).

6. Genes that Affect Abiotic Stress Resistance:

Genes that affect abiotic stress resistance (including, but not limitedto, flowering, panicle/glume and seed development, enhancement ofnitrogen utilization efficiency, altered nitrogen responsiveness,drought resistance or tolerance, cold resistance or tolerance, and saltresistance or tolerance) and increased yield under stress. For example,see: Xiong, Lizhong, et al., “Disease Resistance and Abiotic StressTolerance in Rice Are Inversely Modulated by an Abscisic Acid-inducibleMitogen-Activated Protein Kinase,” The Plant Cell., 15:745-759 (2003),where OsMAPK5 can positively regulate drought, salt, and cold toleranceand negatively modulate PRgene expression and broad-spectrum diseaseresistance in rice; Chen, Fang, et. al., “The Rice 14-3-3 Gene Familyand its Involvement in Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stress,” DNAResearch, 13(2):53-63 (2006), where at least four rice GF14 genes,GF14b, GF14c, GF14e, and Gf14f, were differentially regulated bysalinity, drought, wounding, and abscisic acid; InternationalPublication No. WO 00/73475 where water use efficiency is alteredthrough alteration of malate; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,892,009, 5,965,705,5,929,305, 5,891,859, 6,417,428, 6,664,446, 6,717,034, and 6,801,104,and International Publication Nos. WO 2000/060089, WO 2001/026459, WO2001/035725, WO 2001/034726, WO 2001/035727, WO 2001/036444, WO2001/036597, WO 2001/036598, WO 2002/015675, WO 2002/017430, WO2002/077185, WO 2002/079403, WO 2003/013227, WO 2003/013228, WO2003/014327, WO 2004/031349, WO 2004/076638, WO 98/09521, and WO99/38977 describing genes, including CBF genes and transcription factorseffective in mitigating the negative effects of freezing, high salinity,and drought on plants, as well as conferring other positive effects onplant phenotype; U.S. Publication No. 2004/0148654 and InternationalPublication No. WO 01/36596 where abscisic acid is altered in plantsresulting in improved plant phenotype such as increased yield and/orincreased tolerance to abiotic stress; International Publication Nos. WO2000/006341 and WO 04/090143, U.S. Publication No. 2004/0237147, andU.S. Pat. No. 6,992,237, where cytokinin expression is modifiedresulting in plants with increased stress tolerance, such as droughttolerance and/or increased yield. Also see, International PublicationNos. WO 02/02776, WO 2003/052063, WO 01/64898, JP 2002281975, and U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,084,153, 6,177,275, and 6,107,547 (enhancement of nitrogenutilization and altered nitrogen responsiveness). For ethylenealteration, see, U.S. Publication Nos. 2004/0128719 and 2003/0166197 andInternational Publication No. WO 2000/32761. For plant transcriptionfactors or transcriptional regulators of abiotic stress, see, e.g., U.S.Publication Nos. 2004/0098764 and 2004/0078852.

Other genes and transcription factors that affect plant growth andagronomic traits such as yield, flowering, plant growth, and/or plantstructure, can be introduced or introgressed into plants, see, e.g.,International Publication Nos. WO 97/49811 (LHY), WO 98/56918 (ESD4), WO97/10339, WO 96/14414 (CON), WO 96/38560, WO 01/21822 (VRN1), WO00/44918 (VRN2), WO 99/49064 (GI), WO 00/46358 (FR1), WO 97/29123, WO99/09174 (D8 and Rht), and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,573,430 (TFL), 6,713,663(FT), 6,794,560, 6,307,126 (GAI), and International Publication Nos. WO2004/076638 and WO 2004/031349 (transcription factors).

Methods for Rice Transformation

Numerous methods for plant transformation have been developed, includingbiological and physical plant transformation protocols. See, forexample, Miki, et al., “Procedures for Introducing Foreign DNA intoPlants,” in Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glickand Thompson Eds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 67-88 (1993)). Inaddition, expression vectors and in vitro culture methods for plant cellor tissue transformation and regeneration of plants are available. See,for example, Gruber, et al., “Vectors for Plant Transformation,” inMethods in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Glick and ThompsonEds., CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, pp. 89-119 (1993).

A. Agrobacterium-mediated Transformation—One method for introducing anexpression vector into plants is based on the natural transformationsystem of Agrobacterium. See, for example, Horsch, et al., Science,227:1229 (1985). A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes are plant pathogenicsoil bacteria which genetically transform plant cells. The Ti and Riplasmids of A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes, respectively, carry genesresponsible for genetic transformation of the plant. See, for example,Kado, C. I., Crit. Rev. Plant Sci., 10:1 (1991). Descriptions ofAgrobacterium vector systems and methods for Agrobacterium-mediated genetransfer are provided by Gruber, et al., supra, Miki, et al., supra, andMoloney, et al., Plant Cell Reports, 8:238 (1989). See also, U.S. Pat.No. 5,591,616, issued Jan. 7, 1997.

B. Direct Gene Transfer—Despite the fact the host range forAgrobacterium-mediated transformation is broad, some major cereal cropspecies and gymnosperms have generally been recalcitrant to this mode ofgene transfer, even though some success has recently been achieved inrice and corn. Hiei, et al., The Plant Journal, 6:271-282 (1994) andU.S. Pat. No. 5,591,616, issued Jan. 7, 1997. Several methods of planttransformation, collectively referred to as direct gene transfer, havebeen developed as an alternative to Agrobacterium-mediatedtransformation.

A generally applicable method of plant transformation ismicroprojectile-mediated transformation wherein DNA is carried on thesurface of microprojectiles measuring 1 to 4 μm. The expression vectoris introduced into plant tissues with a biolistic device thataccelerates the microprojectiles to speeds of 300 to 600 m/s which issufficient to penetrate plant cell walls and membranes. Sanford, et al.,Part. Sci. Technol., 5:27 (1987); Sanford, J. C., Trends Biotech., 6:299(1988); Klein, et al., Bio/Technology, 6:559-563 (1988); Sanford, J. C.,Physiol Plant, 7:206 (1990); Klein, et al., Biotechnology, 10:268(1992). In corn, several target tissues can be bombarded with DNA-coatedmicroprojectiles in order to produce transgenic plants, including, forexample, callus (Type I or Type II), immature embryos, and meristematictissue.

Another method for physical delivery of DNA to plants is sonication oftarget cells. Zhang, et al., Bio/Technology, 9:996 (1991). Additionally,liposome and spheroplast fusion have been used to introduce expressionvectors into plants. Deshayes, et al., EMBO J, 4:2731 (1985); Christou,et al., Proc Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 84:3962 (1987). Direct uptake ofDNA into protoplasts using CaCl₂ precipitation, polyvinyl alcohol orpoly-L-ornithine has also been reported. Hain, et al., Mol. Gen. Genet.,199:161 (1985) and Draper, et al., Plant Cell Physiol., 23:451 (1982).Electroporation of protoplasts and whole cells and tissues have alsobeen described. Donn, et al., In Abstracts of VIIth InternationalCongress on Plant Cell and Tissue Culture IAPTC, A2-38, p. 53 (1990);D'Halluin, et al., Plant Cell, 4:1495-1505 (1992); and Spencer, et al.,Plant Mol. Biol., 24:51-61 (1994).

Following transformation of rice target tissues, expression of theabove-described selectable marker genes allows for preferentialselection of transformed cells, tissues, and/or plants usingregeneration and selection methods now well known in the art.

Genetic Marker Profile Through SSR and First Generation Progeny

In addition to phenotypic observations, a plant can also be identifiedby its genotype. The genotype of a plant can be characterized through agenetic marker profile which can identify plants of the same variety ora related variety or be used to determine or validate a pedigree.Genetic marker profiles can be obtained by techniques such as IsozymeElectrophoresis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs),Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), Arbitrarily PrimedPolymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), DNA Amplification Fingerprinting(DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs), AmplifiedFragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs),which are also referred to as Microsatellites, and Single NucleotidePolymorphisms (SNPs). For example, see, Cregan et. al, “An IntegratedGenetic Linkage Map of the Soybean Genome,” Crop Science, 39:1464-1490(1999), and Berry, et al., Assessing Probability of Ancestry UsingSimple Sequence Repeat Profiles: Applications to Maize Inbred Lines andSoybean Varieties,” Genetics, 165:331-342 (2003), each of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

Particular markers used for these purposes are not limited to anyparticular set of markers, but are envisioned to include any type ofmarker and marker profile which provides a means of distinguishingvarieties. One method of comparison is to use only homozygous loci forrice cultivar Taggart.

Primers and PCR protocols for assaying these and other markers arewidely known in the art. In addition to being used for identification ofrice cultivar Taggart and plant parts and plant cells of rice cultivarTaggart, the genetic profile may be used to identify a rice plantproduced through the use of rice cultivar Taggart or to verify apedigree for progeny plants produced through the use of rice cultivarTaggart. The genetic marker profile is also useful in breeding anddeveloping backcross conversions.

The present invention comprises a rice hybrid plant characterized bymolecular and physiological data obtained from the representative sampleof said hybrid deposited with the American Type Culture Collection(ATCC). Further provided by the invention is a rice hybrid plant formedby the combination of the disclosed rice hybrid plant or plant cell withanother rice plant or cell.

Means of performing genetic marker profiles using SSR polymorphisms arewell known in the art. SSRs are genetic markers based on polymorphismsin repeated nucleotide sequences, such as microsatellites. A markersystem based on SSRs can be highly informative in linkage analysisrelative to other marker systems in that multiple alleles may bepresent. Another advantage of this type of marker is that, through useof flanking primers, detection of SSRs can be achieved, for example, bythe polymerase chain reaction (PCR), thereby eliminating the need forlabor-intensive Southern hybridization. The PCR detection is done by useof two oligonucleotide primers flanking the polymorphic segment ofrepetitive DNA. Repeated cycles of heat denaturation of the DNA followedby annealing of the primers to their complementary sequences at lowtemperatures, and extension of the annealed primers with DNA polymerase,comprise the major part of the methodology.

Following amplification, markers can be scored by electrophoresis of theamplification products. Scoring of marker genotype is based on the sizeof the amplified fragment, which may be measured by the number of basepairs of the fragment. While variation in the primer used or inlaboratory procedures can affect the reported fragment size, relativevalues should remain constant regardless of the specific primer orlaboratory used. When comparing hybrids or varieties it is preferable ifall SSR profiles are performed in the same lab.

Primers used are publicly available and may be found in for example inU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,232,940, 7,217,003, 7,250,556, 7,214,851, 7,195,887,and 7,192,774.

In addition, plants and plant parts substantially benefiting from theuse of rice cultivar Taggart in their development, such as rice cultivarTaggart comprising a backcross conversion, transgene, or geneticsterility factor, may be identified by having a molecular marker profilewith a high percent identity to rice cultivar Taggart. Such a percentidentity might be 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, or 99.9% identical torice cultivar Taggart.

The SSR profile of rice cultivar Taggart also can be used to identifyessentially derived varieties and other progeny varieties developed fromthe use of rice cultivar Taggart, as well as cells and other plant partsthereof. Such plants may be developed using the markers identified inInternational Publication No. WO 00/31964, U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,967, andU.S. application Ser. No. 09/954,773. Progeny plants and plant partsproduced using rice cultivar Taggart may be identified by having amolecular marker profile of at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%,60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%,86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or99.5% genetic contribution from a rice hybrid or variety, as measured byeither percent identity or percent similarity. Such progeny may befurther characterized as being within a pedigree distance of ricecultivar Taggart, such as within 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 or fewercross-pollinations to a rice plant other than rice cultivar Taggart or aplant that has rice cultivar Taggart as a progenitor. Unique molecularprofiles may be identified with other molecular tools such as SNPs andRFLPs.

While determining the SSR genetic marker profile of the plants describedsupra, several unique SSR profiles may also be identified which did notappear in either parent of such rice plant. Such unique SSR profiles mayarise during the breeding process from recombination or mutation. Acombination of several unique alleles provides a means of identifying aplant variety, an F₁ progeny produced from such variety, and progenyproduced from such rice plan.

The foregoing methods for transformation would typically be used forproducing a transgenic cultivar. The transgenic cultivar could then becrossed, with another (non-transformed or transformed) cultivar, inorder to produce a new transgenic cultivar. Alternatively, a genetictrait which has been engineered into a particular rice cultivar usingthe foregoing transformation techniques could be moved into anothercultivar using traditional backcrossing techniques that are well knownin the plant breeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach couldbe used to move an engineered trait from a public, non-elite cultivarinto an elite cultivar, or from a cultivar containing a foreign gene inits genome into a cultivar which does not contain that gene. As usedherein, “crossing” can refer to a simple X by Y cross, or the process ofbackcrossing, depending on the context.

Gene Conversion

When the term “rice plant” is used in the context of the presentinvention, this also includes any gene conversions of that cultivar. Theterm gene converted plant as used herein refers to those rice plantswhich are developed by a plant breeding technique called backcrossingwherein essentially all of the desired morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of a cultivar are recovered in addition to the one ormore genes transferred into the cultivar via the backcrossing technique.Backcrossing methods can be used with the present invention to improveor introduce a characteristic into the cultivar. The term backcrossingas used herein refers to the repeated crossing of a hybrid progeny backto one of the parental rice plants, the recurrent parent, for thatcultivar, i.e., backcrossing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more times tothe recurrent parent. The parental rice plant which contributes the genefor the desired characteristic is termed the nonrecurrent or donorparent. This terminology refers to the fact that the nonrecurrent parentis used one time in the backcross protocol and therefore does not recur.The parental rice plant to which the gene or genes from the nonrecurrentparent are transferred is known as the recurrent parent as it is usedfor several rounds in the backcrossing protocol (Poehlman & Sleper(1994); Fehr (1987)). In a typical backcross protocol, the originalcultivar of interest (recurrent parent) is crossed to a second cultivar(nonrecurrent parent) that carries the single gene or genes of interestto be transferred. The resulting progeny from this cross are thencrossed again to the recurrent parent and the process is repeated untila rice plant is obtained wherein essentially all of the desiredmorphological and physiological characteristics of the recurrent parentare recovered in the converted plant, in addition to one or moretransferred genes from the nonrecurrent parent as determined at the 5%significance level when grown in the same environmental conditions.

The selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step for asuccessful backcrossing procedure. The goal of a backcross protocol isto alter or substitute one or more traits or characteristics in theoriginal cultivar. To accomplish this, one or more genes of therecurrent cultivar is modified or substituted with the desired gene orgenes from the nonrecurrent parent, while retaining essentially all ofthe rest of the desired genetic, and therefore the desired physiologicaland morphological, constitution of the original cultivar. The choice ofthe particular nonrecurrent parent will depend on the purpose of thebackcross; one of the major purposes is to add some commerciallydesirable, agronomically important trait to the plant. The exactbackcrossing protocol will depend on the characteristic or trait beingaltered to determine an appropriate testing protocol. Althoughbackcrossing methods are simplified when the characteristic(s) beingtransferred is a dominant allele, a recessive allele may also betransferred. In this instance it may be necessary to introduce a test ofthe progeny to determine if the desired characteristic has beensuccessfully transferred.

Many single gene traits have been identified that are not regularlyselected for in the development of a new cultivar but that can beimproved by backcrossing techniques. Single gene traits may or may notbe transgenic. Examples of these traits include, but are not limited to,male sterility, waxy starch, herbicide resistance, resistance forbacterial, fungal, or viral disease, insect resistance, male fertility,enhanced nutritional quality, industrial usage, yield stability, andyield enhancement. These genes are generally inherited through thenucleus. Some known exceptions to this are the genes for male sterility,some of which are inherited cytoplasmically, but still act as singlegene traits. Several of these single gene traits are described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,777,196, 5,948,957, and 5,969,212, the disclosures of whichare specifically hereby incorporated by reference.

Introduction of a New Trait or Locus into Rice Cultivar Taggart

Rice cultivar Taggart represents a new base genetic hybrid into which anew locus or trait may be introgressed. Direct transformation andbackcrossing represent two important methods that can be used toaccomplish such an introgression. The term backcross conversion andsingle locus conversion are used interchangeably to designate theproduct of a backcrossing program.

Backcross Conversions of Rice Cultivar Taggart

A backcross conversion of rice cultivar Taggart occurs when DNAsequences are introduced through backcrossing (Hallauer, et al., “CornBreeding,” Corn and Corn Improvements, No. 18, pp. 463-481 (1988)), withrice cultivar Taggart utilized as the recurrent parent. Both naturallyoccurring and transgenic DNA sequences may be introduced throughbackcrossing techniques. A backcross conversion may produce a plant witha trait or locus conversion in at least two or more backcrosses,including at least 2 crosses, at least 3 crosses, at least 4 crosses, atleast 5 crosses, and the like. Molecular marker assisted breeding orselection may be utilized to reduce the number of backcrosses necessaryto achieve the backcross conversion. For example, see, Openshaw, S. J.,et al., Marker-assisted Selection in Backcross Breeding, in: ProceedingsSymposium of the Analysis of Molecular Data, Crop Science Society ofAmerica, Corvallis, Oregon (August 1994), where it is demonstrated thata backcross conversion can be made in as few as two backcrosses.

The complexity of the backcross conversion method depends on the type oftrait being transferred (single genes or closely linked genes as vs.unlinked genes), the level of expression of the trait, the type ofinheritance (cytoplasmic or nuclear) and the types of parents includedin the cross. It is understood by those of ordinary skill in the artthat for single gene traits that are relatively easy to classify, thebackcross method is effective and relatively easy to manage. (See,Hallauer, et al., in Corn and Corn Improvement, Sprague and Dudley,Third Ed. (1998)). Desired traits that may be transferred throughbackcross conversion include, but are not limited to, sterility (nuclearand cytoplasmic), fertility restoration, nutritional enhancements,drought tolerance, nitrogen utilization, altered fatty acid profile, lowphytate, industrial enhancements, disease resistance (bacterial, fungalor viral), insect resistance, and herbicide resistance. In addition, anintrogression site itself, such as an FRT site, Lox site, or other sitespecific integration site, may be inserted by backcrossing and utilizedfor direct insertion of one or more genes of interest into a specificplant variety. In some embodiments of the invention, the number of locithat may be backcrossed into rice cultivar Taggart is at least 1, 2, 3,4, or 5, and/or no more than 6, 5, 4, 3, or 2. A single locus maycontain several transgenes, such as a transgene for disease resistancethat, in the same expression vector, also contains a transgene forherbicide resistance. The gene for herbicide resistance may be used as aselectable marker and/or as a phenotypic trait. A single locusconversion of a site specific integration system allows for theintegration of multiple genes at the converted loci.

Tissue Culture

Further reproduction of the variety can occur by tissue culture andregeneration. Tissue culture of various tissues of rice and regenerationof plants therefrom is well known and widely published. For example,reference may be had to Komatsuda, T., et al., Crop Sci., 31:333-337(1991); Stephens, P. A., et al., Theor. Appl. Genet., 82:633-635 (1991);Komatsuda, T., et al., Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, 28:103-113(1992); Dhir, S., et al., Plant Cell Reports, 11:285-289 (1992); Pandey,P., et al., Japan J. Breed., 42:1-5 (1992); and Shetty, K., et al.,Plant Science, 81:245-251 (1992); as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,944,issued Jun. 18, 1991 to Collins, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,200,issued Apr. 16, 1991 to Ranch, et al. Thus, another aspect of thisinvention is to provide cells which upon growth and differentiationproduce rice plants having the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of rice variety Taggart.

As used herein, the term “tissue culture” indicates a compositioncomprising isolated cells of the same or a different type or acollection of such cells organized into parts of a plant. Exemplarytypes of tissue cultures are protoplasts, calli, plant clumps, and plantcells that can generate tissue culture that are intact in plants orparts of plants, such as embryos, pollen, flowers, seeds, pods, leaves,stems, roots, root tips, anthers, and the like. Means for preparing andmaintaining plant tissue culture are well known in the art. By way ofexample, a tissue culture comprising organs has been used to produceregenerated plants. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,959,185; 5,973,234, and 5,977,445describe certain techniques, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

As used herein, the term “plant” includes plant cells, plantprotoplasts, plant cells of tissue culture from which rice plants can beregenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intactin plants or parts of plants, such as pollen, flowers, embryos, ovules,seeds, pods, leaves, stems, pistils, anthers, and the like. Thus,another aspect of this invention is to provide for cells which upongrowth and differentiation produce a cultivar having essentially all ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics of Taggart.

The present invention contemplates a rice plant regenerated from atissue culture of a variety (e.g., Taggart) or hybrid plant of thepresent invention. As is well known in the art, tissue culture of ricecan be used for the in vitro regeneration of a rice plant. Tissueculture of various tissues of rice and regeneration of plants therefromis well known and widely published. For example, reference may be had toChu, Q. R., et al., “Use of bridging parents with high antherculturability to improve plant regeneration and breeding value in rice,”Rice Biotechnology Quarterly, 38:25-26 (1999); Chu, Q. R., et al., “Anovel plant regeneration medium for rice anther culture of Southern U.S.crosses,” Rice Biotechnology Quarterly, 35:15-16 (1998); Chu, Q. R., etal., “A novel basal medium for embryogenic callus induction of SouthernUS crosses,” Rice Biotechnology Quarterly, 32:19-20 (1997); and Oono,K., “Broadening the Genetic Variability By Tissue Culture Methods,” Jap.J. Breed., 33 (Suppl. 2), 306-307, illus. 1983. Thus, another aspect ofthis invention is to provide cells which upon growth and differentiationproduce rice plants having the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of variety Taggart.

Duncan, et al., Planta, 165:322-332 (1985), reflects that 97% of theplants cultured that produced callus were capable of plant regeneration.Subsequent experiments with both cultivars and hybrids produced 91%regenerable callus that produced plants. In a further study in 1988,Songstad, et al., Plant Cell Reports, 7:262-265 (1988), reports severalmedia additions that enhance regenerability of callus of two cultivars.Other published reports also indicated that “non-traditional” tissuesare capable of producing somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration.K. P. Rao, et al., Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter, 60:64-65(1986), refers to somatic embryogenesis from glume callus cultures andB. V. Conger, et al., Plant Cell Reports, 6:345-347 (1987), indicatessomatic embryogenesis from the tissue cultures of corn leaf segments.Thus, it is clear from the literature that the state of the art is suchthat these methods of obtaining plants are routinely used and have avery high rate of success.

Tissue culture of corn is described in European Patent ApplicationPublication 160,390. Corn tissue culture procedures are also describedin Green and Rhodes, “Plant Regeneration in Tissue Culture of Maize,”Maize for Biological Research, Plant Molecular Biology Association,Charlottesville, Va., 367-372 (1982), and in Duncan, et al., “TheProduction of Callus Capable of Plant Regeneration from Immature Embryosof Numerous Zea Mays Genotypes,” 165 Planta, 322:332 (1985). Thus,another aspect of this invention is to provide cells which upon growthand differentiation produce corn plants having the physiological andmorphological characteristics of rice cultivar Taggart.

The utility of rice cultivar Taggart also extends to crosses with otherspecies. Commonly, suitable species will be of the family Graminaceae,and especially of the genera Zea, Tripsacum, Croix, Schlerachne,Polytoca, Chionachne, and Trilobachne, of the tribe Maydeae.

This invention also is directed to methods for producing a rice plant bycrossing a first parent rice plant with a second parent rice plantwherein the first or second parent rice plant is a rice plant of thevariety Taggart. Further, both first and second parent rice plants cancome from the rice variety Taggart. Thus, any such methods using therice variety Taggart are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses,hybrid production, crosses to populations, and the like. All plantsproduced using rice variety Taggart as a parent are within the scope ofthis invention, including those developed from varieties derived fromrice variety Taggart. Advantageously, the rice variety could be used incrosses with other, different, rice plants to produce the firstgeneration (F₁) rice hybrid seeds and plants with superiorcharacteristics. The variety of the invention can also be used fortransformation where exogenous genes are introduced and expressed by thevariety of the invention. Genetic variants created either throughtraditional breeding methods using variety Taggart or throughtransformation of Taggart by any of a number of protocols known to thoseof skill in the art are intended to be within the scope of thisinvention.

The following describes breeding methods that may be used with cultivarTaggart in the development of further rice plants. One such embodimentis a method for developing a Taggart progeny rice plant in a rice plantbreeding program comprising: obtaining the rice plant, or a partthereof, of cultivar Taggart utilizing said plant or plant part as asource of breeding material and selecting a Taggart progeny plant withmolecular markers in common with Taggart and/or with morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics selected from the characteristicslisted in Tables 2 or 3. Breeding steps that may be used in the riceplant breeding program include pedigree breeding, back crossing,mutation breeding, and recurrent selection. In conjunction with thesesteps, techniques such as RFLP-enhanced selection, genetic markerenhanced selection (for example SSR markers) and the making of doublehaploids may be utilized.

Another method involves producing a population of cultivar Taggartprogeny rice plants, comprising crossing cultivar Taggart with anotherrice plant, thereby producing a population of rice plants, which, onaverage, derive 50% of their alleles from cultivar Taggart. A plant ofthis population may be selected and repeatedly selfed or sibbed with arice cultivar resulting from these successive filial generations. Oneembodiment of this invention is the rice cultivar produced by thismethod and that has obtained at least 50% of its alleles from cultivarTaggart.

One of ordinary skill in the art of plant breeding would know how toevaluate the traits of two plant varieties to determine if there is nosignificant difference between the two traits expressed by thosevarieties. For example, see, Fehr and Walt, Principles of CultivarDevelopment, pp. 261-286 (1987). Thus the invention includes ricecultivar Taggart progeny rice plants comprising a combination of atleast two Taggart traits selected from the group consisting of thoselisted in Tables 1, 2, 3, and 4, or the Taggart combination of traitslisted in the Summary of the Invention, so that said progeny rice plantis not significantly different for said traits than rice cultivarTaggart as determined at the 5% significance level when grown in thesame environment. Using techniques described herein, molecular markersmay be used to identify said progeny plant as a Taggart progeny plant.Mean trait values may be used to determine whether trait differences aresignificant, and preferably the traits are measured on plants grownunder the same environmental conditions. Once such a variety isdeveloped its value is substantial since it is important to advance thegermplasm base as a whole in order to maintain or improve traits such asyield, disease resistance, pest resistance, and plant performance inextreme environmental conditions.

Progeny of rice cultivar Taggart may also be characterized through theirfilial relationship with rice cultivar Taggart, as for example, beingwithin a certain number of breeding crosses of rice cultivar Taggart. Abreeding cross is a cross made to introduce new genetics into theprogeny, and is distinguished from a cross, such as a self or a sibcross, made to select among existing genetic alleles. The lower thenumber of breeding crosses in the pedigree, the closer the relationshipbetween rice cultivar Taggart and its progeny. For example, progenyproduced by the methods described herein may be within 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5breeding crosses of rice cultivar Taggart.

Pedigree Breeding

Pedigree breeding starts with the crossing of two genotypes, such asrice cultivar Taggart and another rice plant having one or moredesirable characteristics that is lacking or which complements ricecultivar Taggart. If the two original parents do not provide all thedesired characteristics, other sources can be included in the breedingpopulation. In the pedigree method, superior plants are selfed andselected in successive filial generations. In the succeeding filialgenerations the heterozygous condition gives way to homogeneousvarieties as a result of self-pollination and selection. Typically inthe pedigree method of breeding, five or more successive filialgenerations of selfing and selection is practiced: F₁ to F₂; F₂ to F₃;F₃ to F₄; F₄ to F₅; etc. After a sufficient amount of inbreeding,successive filial generations will serve to increase seed of thedeveloped variety. Preferably, the developed variety compriseshomozygous alleles at about 95% or more of its loci.

In addition to being used to create a backcross conversion, backcrossingcan also be used in combination with pedigree breeding. As discussedpreviously, backcrossing can be used to transfer one or morespecifically desirable traits from one variety, the donor parent, to adeveloped variety called the recurrent parent, which has overall goodagronomic characteristics yet lacks that desirable trait or traits.However, the same procedure can be used to move the progeny toward thegenotype of the recurrent parent but at the same time retain manycomponents of the nonrecurrent parent by stopping the backcrossing at anearly stage and proceeding with selfing and selection. For example, arice variety may be crossed with another rice variety to produce a firstgeneration progeny plant. The first generation progeny plant may then bebackcrossed to one of its parent varieties to create a BC₁ or BC₂.Progeny are selfed and selected so that the newly developed variety hasmany of the attributes of the recurrent parent and yet several of thedesired attributes of the nonrecurrent parent. This approach leveragesthe value and strengths of the recurrent parent for use in new ricevarieties.

Therefore, an embodiment of this invention is a method of making abackcross conversion of rice cultivar Taggart, comprising the steps ofcrossing a plant of rice cultivar Taggart with a donor plant comprisinga desired trait, selecting an F₁ progeny plant comprising the desiredtrait, and backcrossing the selected F₁ progeny plant to a plant of ricecultivar Taggart. This method may further comprise the step of obtaininga molecular marker profile of rice cultivar Taggart and using themolecular marker profile to select for a progeny plant with the desiredtrait and the molecular marker profile of rice cultivar Taggart. In oneembodiment the desired trait is a mutant gene or transgene present inthe donor parent.

Recurrent Selection and Mass Selection

Recurrent selection is a method used in a plant breeding program toimprove a population of plants. Rice cultivar Taggart is suitable foruse in a recurrent selection program. The method entails individualplants cross pollinating with each other to form progeny. The progenyare grown and the superior progeny selected by any number of selectionmethods, which include individual plant, half-sib progeny, full-sibprogeny and selfed progeny. The selected progeny are cross pollinatedwith each other to form progeny for another population. This populationis planted and again superior plants are selected to cross pollinatewith each other. Recurrent selection is a cyclical process and thereforecan be repeated as many times as desired. The objective of recurrentselection is to improve the traits of a population. The improvedpopulation can then be used as a source of breeding material to obtainnew varieties for commercial or breeding use, including the productionof a synthetic cultivar. A synthetic cultivar is the resultant progenyformed by the intercrossing of several selected varieties.

Mass selection is a useful technique when used in conjunction withmolecular marker enhanced selection. In mass selection seeds fromindividuals are selected based on phenotype or genotype. These selectedseeds are then bulked and used to grow the next generation. Bulkselection requires growing a population of plants in a bulk plot,allowing the plants to self-pollinate, harvesting the seed in bulk andthen using a sample of the seed harvested in bulk to plant the nextgeneration. Also, instead of self pollination, directed pollinationcould be used as part of the breeding program.

Mutation Breeding

Mutation breeding is another method of introducing new traits into ricecultivar Taggart. Mutations that occur spontaneously or are artificiallyinduced can be useful sources of variability for a plant breeder. Thegoal of artificial mutagenesis is to increase the rate of mutation for adesired characteristic. Mutation rates can be increased by manydifferent means including temperature, long-term seed storage, tissueculture conditions, radiation; such as X-rays, Gamma rays (e.g., cobalt60 or cesium 137), neutrons (product of nuclear fission by uranium 235in an atomic reactor), Beta radiation (emitted from radioisotopes suchas phosphorus 32 or carbon 14), or ultraviolet radiation (preferablyfrom 2500 to 2900 nm), or chemical mutagens (such as base analogues(5-bromo-uracil), related compounds (8-ethoxy caffeine), antibiotics(streptonigrin), alkylating agents (sulfur mustards, nitrogen mustards,epoxides, ethylenamines, sulfates, sulfonates, sulfones, lactones),azide, hydroxylamine, nitrous acid, or acridines. Once a desired traitis observed through mutagenesis the trait may then be incorporated intoexisting germplasm by traditional breeding techniques. Details ofmutation breeding can be found in “Principles of Cultivar Development,”Fehr, Macmillan Publishing Company (1993). In addition, mutationscreated in other rice plants may be used to produce a backcrossconversion of rice cultivar Taggart that comprises such mutation.

Breeding with Molecular Markers

Molecular markers may be used in plant breeding methods utilizing ricecultivar Taggart.

Isozyme Electrophoresis and RFLPs have been widely used to determinegenetic composition. See, for example, Dinka, S. J., et al., “Predictingthe size of the progeny mapping population required to positionallyclone a gene,” Genetics., 176(4):2035-54 (2007); Gonzalez, C., et al.,“Molecular and pathogenic characterization of new Xanthomonas oryzaestrains from West Africa,” Mol. Plant. Microbe Interact., 20(5):534-546(2007); Jin, H., et al., “Molecular and cytogenic characterization of anOryza officinalis-O. sativa chromosome 4 addition line and itsprogenies,” Plant Mol. Biol., 62(4-5):769-777 (2006); Pan, G., et al.,“Map-based cloning of a novel rice cytochrome P450 gene CYP81A6 thatconfers resistance to two different classes of herbicides,” Plant Mol.Biol., 61(6):933-943 (2006); Huang, W., et al., “RFLP analysis formitochondrial genome of CMS-rice,” Journal of Genetics and Genomics,33(4):330-338 (2007); Yan, C. J., et al., “Identification andcharacterization of a major QTL responsible for erect panicle trait injaponica rice (Oryza sativa L.),” Theor. Appl. Genetics.,DOI:10.1007/s00122-007-0635-9 (2007); and I. K. Vasil (ed.), DNA-basedmarkers in plants, Kluwer Academic Press Dordrecht, the Netherlands.

SSR technology is currently the most efficient and practical markertechnology; more marker loci can be routinely used and more alleles permarker locus can be found using SSRs in comparison to RFLPs. Gealy,David, et al., “Insights into the Parentage of Rice/red Rice CrossesUsing SSR Analysis of US Rice Cultivars and Red Rice Populations,” RiceTechnical Working Group Meeting Proceedings, Abstract, p. 179; Lawson,Mark J., et al., “Distinct Patterns of SSR Distribution in theArabidopsis thaliana and rice genomes,” Genome Biology., 7:R14 (2006);Nagaraju, J., et al., “Genetic Analysis of Traditional and EvolvedBasmati and Non-Basmati Rice Varieties by Using Fluorescence-basedISSR-PCR and SSR Markers,” Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA., 99(9):5836-5841(2002); and Lu, Hong, et al., “Population Structure and BreedingPatterns of 145 US Rice Cultivars Based on SSR Marker Analysis,” CropScience, 45:66-76 (2005). Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms may also beused to identify the unique genetic composition of the invention andprogeny varieties retaining that unique genetic composition. Variousmolecular marker techniques may be used in combination to enhanceoverall resolution.

Rice DNA molecular marker linkage maps have been rapidly constructed andwidely implemented in genetic studies such as in Zhu, J. H., et al.,“Toward rice genome scanning by map-based AFLP fingerprinting,” Mol.Gene. Genetics., 261(1):184-195 (1999); Cheng, Z., et al., “Toward acytological characterization of the rice genome,” Genome Research.,11(12):2133-2141 (2001); Ahn, S., et al., “Comparative linkage maps ofthe rice and maize genomes,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,90(17):7980-7984 (1993); and Kao, F. I., et al., “An integrated map ofOryza sativa L. chromosome 5,” Theor. Appl. Genet., 112(5):891-902(2006). Sequences and PCR conditions of SSR Loci in rice as well as themost current genetic map may be found in RiceBLAST and the TIGR RiceGenome Annotation on the World Wide Web.

One use of molecular markers is Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping.QTL mapping is the use of markers, which are known to be closely linkedto alleles that have measurable effects on a quantitative trait.Selection in the breeding process is based upon the accumulation ofmarkers linked to the positive effecting alleles and/or the eliminationof the markers linked to the negative effecting alleles from the plant'sgenome.

Molecular markers can also be used during the breeding process for theselection of qualitative traits. For example, markers closely linked toalleles or markers containing sequences within the actual alleles ofinterest can be used to select plants that contain the alleles ofinterest during a backcrossing breeding program. The markers can also beused to select for the genome of the recurrent parent and against thegenome of the donor parent. Using this procedure can minimize the amountof genome from the donor parent that remains in the selected plants. Itcan also be used to reduce the number of crosses back to the recurrentparent needed in a backcrossing program. The use of molecular markers inthe selection process is often called genetic marker enhanced selection.Molecular markers may also be used to identify and exclude certainsources of germplasm as parental varieties or ancestors of a plant byproviding a means of tracking genetic profiles through crosses.

Production of Double Haploids

The production of double haploids can also be used for the developmentof plants with a homozygous phenotype in the breeding program. Forexample, a rice plant for which rice cultivar Taggart is a parent can beused to produce double haploid plants. Double haploids are produced bythe doubling of a set of chromosomes (1N) from a heterozygous plant toproduce a completely homozygous individual. For example, see, Wan, etal., “Efficient Production of Doubled Haploid Plants Through ColchicineTreatment of Anther-Derived Maize Callus,” Theoretical and AppliedGenetics, 77:889-892 (1989), and U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,615.

Methods for obtaining haploid plants are also disclosed in Kobayashi,M., et al., Journ. of Heredity, 71(1):9-14 (1980), Pollacsek, M.,12(3):247-251, Agronomie, Paris (1992); Cho-Un-Haing, et al., Journ. ofPlant Biol., 39(3):185-188 (1996); Verdoodt, L., et al., 96(2):294-300(February 1998); Genetic Manipulation in Plant Breeding, ProceedingsInternational Symposium Organized by EUCARPIA, Berlin, Germany (Sep.8-13, 1985); Thomas, W J K, et al., “Doubled haploids in breeding,” inDoubled Haploid Production in Crop Plants, Maluszynski, M., et al.(Eds.), Dordrecht, The Netherland Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp.337-349 (2003).

Descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used fordifferent traits and crops can be found in one of several referencebooks (e.g., Allard (1960); Simmonds (1979); Sneep, et al. (1979); Fehr(1987)).

The seed of rice cultivar Taggart, the plant produced from the cultivarseed, the hybrid rice plant produced from the crossing of the cultivar,hybrid seed, and various parts of the hybrid rice plant and transgenicversions of the foregoing, can be utilized for human food, livestockfeed, and as a raw material in industry.

The present invention provides methods for producing anherbicide-resistant rice plant through conventional plant breedinginvolving sexual reproduction. The methods comprise crossing a firstrice plant that is a plant of rice cultivar Taggart to a second riceplant that is not resistant to an herbicide. The methods of theinvention can further involve one or more generations of backcrossingthe progeny rice plants of the first cross to a rice plant of the sameline or genotype as either the first or second rice plant.Alternatively, the progeny of the first cross or any subsequent crosscan be crossed to a third rice plant that is of a different line orgenotype than either the first or second rice plant. The methods of theinvention can additionally involve selecting rice plants that comprisethe herbicide tolerance characteristics of the first rice plant.

The present invention further provides methods for increasing theherbicide-resistance of a rice plant, particularly anherbicide-resistant rice plant, through conventional plant breedinginvolving sexual reproduction. The methods comprise crossing a firstrice plant that is a plant of rice cultivar Taggart to a second riceplant that may or may not be resistant to the same herbicides as theplant of rice cultivar Taggart or may be resistant to differentherbicide or herbicides than the first rice plant. The progeny riceplants produced by this method of the present invention have increasedresistance to an herbicide when compared to either the first or secondrice plant or both. When the first and second rice plants are resistantto different herbicides, the progeny plants will have the combinedherbicide tolerance characteristics of the first and second rice plants.The methods of the invention can further involve one or more generationsof backcrossing the progeny rice plants of the first cross to a riceplant of the same line or genotype as either the first or second riceplant. Alternatively, the progeny of the first cross or any subsequentcross can be crossed to a third plant that is of a different line orgenotype than either the first or second plant. The methods of theinvention can additionally involve selecting rice plants that comprisethe herbicide tolerance characteristics of the first rice plant, thesecond rice plant, or both the first and the second rice plants.

Tables Yield and Grain Characteristics for Rice Cultivar Taggart

In Table 2, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart and for seven other rice cultivars. These data are the result ofthe Arkansas Rice Performance Trials (ARPT) conducted in 2006.(Stuttgart, Rice Research and Extension Center (RREC); Colt, Pine TreeExperiment Station (PTES); Keiser, Northeast Research and ExtensionCenter (NEREC); Rohwer, Southeast Research and Extension Center RohwerDivision (SEREC-RD); Clay Co. and Jackson Co.). Column one shows thevariety, column two shows the yield in bushels per acre, column threeshows the plant height in inches, column four shows the maturity in daysat 50% heading, column five shows the kernel weight in milligrams andcolumn six shows the milling percent head rice (or whole kernel rice) ascompared to the percent of total milled rice.

TABLE 2 Kernel Yield Height Maturity weight Milling Variety (BU/AC)(IN.) (50% HD) (mg) HR:TOT Taggart 204 44 94 19.8 60:71 Templeton 197 4194 16.1 60:71 Francis 208 40 90 16.9 59:70 Wells 198 42 91 18.6 56:71LaGrue 197 44 92 17.8 58:70 Cybonnet 186 38 90 17.5 62:71 Cocodrie 16237 91 17.7 62:71 Drew 168 40 92 17.0 62:70 C.V._(.05) 9.2

In Table 3, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart and for seven other rice cultivars. These data are the result ofthe Arkansas Rice Performance Trials (ARPT) conducted in 2007.(Stuttgart, RREC; Keiser, NEREC; Rohwer, SEREC-RD; Clay Co. and JacksonCo.). Column one shows the variety, column two shows the yield inbushels per acre, column three shows the plant height in inches, columnfour shows the maturity in days at 50% heading, column five shows thekernel weight in milligrams and column six shows the milling percenthead rice (or whole kernel rice) as compared to the percent of totalmilled rice.

TABLE 3 Kernel Yield Height Maturity weight Milling Variety (BU/AC)(IN.) (50% HD) (mg) HR:TOT Taggart 190 45 92 19.6 50:70 Templeton 179 4190 16.0 51:70 Francis 185 38 87 17.2 53:70 Wells 185 41 88 18.7 48:70LaGrue 186 45 90 17.5 52:69 Cybonnet 171 35 89 17.8 58:71 Cocodrie 16336 88 17.9 61:70 Drew 175 44 91 16.0 53:69 C.V._(.05) 10.3

In Table 4, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart and for seven other rice cultivars. These data are the result ofthe Arkansas Rice Performance Trials (ARPT) conducted in 2008.(Stuttgart, RREC; Colt, PTES; Keiser, NEREC; Rohwer, SEREC-RD; Clay Co.and Jackson Co.). Column one shows the variety, column two shows theyield in bushels per acre, column three shows the plant height ininches, column four shows the maturity in days at 50% heading, columnfive shows the kernel weight in milligrams and column six shows themilling percent head rice (or whole kernel rice) as compared to thepercent of total milled rice.

TABLE 4 Kernel Yield Height Maturity weight Milling Variety (BU/AC)(IN.) (50% HD) (mg) HR:TOT Taggart 165 44 98 20.8 60:72 Templeton 156 4195 16.3 57:70 Francis 170 39 92 17.4 62:72 Wells 165 40 94 19.0 56:72LaGrue 161 44 95 18.0 56:70 Cybonnet 144 37 92 17.6 63:72 Cocodrie 14836 89 17.7 63:72 Drew 139 43 96 15.8 60:71 C.V._(.05) 12.1

In Table 4, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart and for seven other rice cultivars. These data are the averageresults of the Arkansas Rice Performance Trials (ARPT) conducted from2006 to 2008 (an average of Tables 2 to 4). Column one shows thevariety, column two shows the yield in bushels per acre, column threeshows the plant height in inches, column four shows the maturity in daysat 50% heading, column five shows the kernel weight in milligrams andcolumn six shows the milling percent head rice (or whole kernel rice) ascompared to the percent of total milled rice.

TABLE 5 Kernel Yield Height Maturity weight Milling Variety (BU/AC)(IN.) (50% HD) (mg) HR:TOT Taggart 187 44 94 20.1 57:71 Templeton 179 4193 16.1 56:71 Francis 189 39 90 17.1 58:71 Wells 184 41 91 18.8 54:71LaGrue 182 44 92 17.8 56:70 Cybonnet 168 37 90 17.6 61:71 Cocodrie 15836 89 17.8 62:71 Drew 161 42 93 16.3 58:70

In Table 6, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart, and seven other rice cultivars. The data are the result oftrials at the Arkansas Rice Performance Trials (ARPT) from 2006. Column1 shows the variety, columns 2 to 7 give the average grain yield foreach of 6 different locations for each variety in bushels per acre,column 8 gives the average grain yield for the six locations, columns 9to 14 show the average head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for each of6 different locations and column 15 shows the average head rice (%) tototal rice (%) ratio for the six locations.

TABLE 6 Grain Yield (BU/AC) Head Rice (%):Total Rice (%) Variety RRECPTES NEREC SEBES CC JC AVE RREC PTES NEREC SEREC CC JC AVE Taggart 186182 218 149 231 260 204 62:72 62:71 60:69 63:74 60:70 54:69 60:71Templeton 183 206 204 158 195 235 197 65:71 65:71 57:68 55:77 59:7158:69 60:71 Francis 207 199 215 184 205 237 208 63:72 62:69 57:68 65:7460:70 51:67 59:70 Wells 166 205 205 146 233 235 198 63:72 62:72 55:6960:75 61:72 43:68 56:71 LaGrue 179 193 180 169 218 241 197 64:71 59:6956:68 61:74 61:70 52:67 58:70 Cybonnet 162 178 197 133 221 228 186 65:7168:72 61:69 63:75 63:71 58:69 62:71 Cocodrie 182 159 176 142 103 210 16266:72 65:72 60:70 69:75 62:70 55:68 62:71 Drew 162 166 179 108 186 206168 62:71 67:71 60:68 60:74 59:67 63:69 62:70 C.V._(.05) 9.3 9.6 7.6 9.911.0 7.6 9.2

In Table 7, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart, and seven other rice cultivars. The data are the result oftrials at the Arkansas Rice Performance Trials (ARPT) from 2007. Column1 shows the variety, columns 2 to 7 give the average grain yield foreach of 6 different locations for each variety in bushels per acre,column 8 gives the average grain yield for the six locations, columns 9to 14 show the average head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for each of6 different locations and column 15 shows the average head rice (%) tototal rice (%) ratio for the six locations.

TABLE 7 Grain Yield (BU/AC) Head Rice (%):Total Rice (%) Variety RRECPTES NEREC SEBES CC JC AVE RREC PTES NEREC SEREC Taggart 187 149 144 215255 190 57:72 47:69 48:71 50:70 50:72 Templeton 163 128 158 207 237 17957:71 48:67 55:70 45:71 51:70 Francis 199 93 163 218 249 185 62:72 43:6857:71 55:71 53:70 Wells 172 168 150 203 230 185 54:72 33:66 52:72 53:7248:70 LaGrue 162 140 181 203 242 186 56:70 47:66 52:69 55:70 52:69Cybonnet 163 190 103 190 207 171 63:72 51:68 61:71 60:72 58:71 Cocodrie176 144 95 162 238 163 62:72 58:69 62:70 63:71 61:70 Drew 167 153 148216 191 175 51:69 49:67 59:70 50:71 53:69 C.V._(.05) 5.3 16.2 13.6 8.47.8 10.3

In Table 8, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart, and seven other rice cultivars. The data are the result oftrials at the Arkansas Rice Performance Trials (ARPT) from 2008. Column1 shows the variety, columns 2 to 7 give the average grain yield foreach of 6 different locations for each variety in bushels per acre,column 8 gives the average grain yield for the six locations, columns 9to 14 show the average head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for each of6 different locations and column 15 shows the average head rice (%) tototal rice (%) ratio for the six locations.

TABLE 8 Grain Yield (BU/AC) Head Rice (%):Total Rice (%) Variety RRECPTES NEREC SEBES CC JC AVE RREC PTES NEREC Taggart 194 181 145 125 181165 61:69 60:72 60:73 60:72 Templeton 184 156 181 130 127 156 64:7159:71 49:69 57:70 Francis 196 167 187 138 163 170 63:70 59:71 64:7462:72 Wells 194 177 172 151 133 165 66:74 60:72 45:71 56:72 LaGrue 171162 158 167 147 161 65:70 54:69 51:69 56:70 Cybonnet 173 136 177 116 120144 68:73 65:71 59:74 63:72 Cocodrie 158 150 173 117 144 148 66:71 67:7458:72 63:72 Drew 162 161 146 97 129 139 67:73 58:70 57:71 60:71C.V._(.05) 5.4 7.7 13.6 11.9 12.6 12.1

In Table 9, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart, and seven other rice cultivars. The data are the result of andaverage of the trials at the Arkansas Rice Performance Trials (ARPT)from 2006 to 2008. Column 1 shows the variety, columns 2 to 7 give theaverage grain yield for each of 6 different locations for each varietyin bushels per acre, column 8 gives the average grain yield for the sixlocations, columns 9 to 14 show the average head rice (%) to total rice(%) ratio for each of 6 different locations and column 15 shows theaverage head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for the six locations.

TABLE 9 Grain Yield (BU/AC) Head Rice (%):Total Rice (%) Variety RRECPTES* NEREC SEBES CC** JC AVE RREC NEREC CC** JC AVE*** Taggart 189 182171 139 223 232 187 60:71 56:70 54:71 55:71 57:71 Templeton 177 181 171149 201 200 179 62:71 55:69 57:71 51:70 56:71 Francis 201 183 165 162212 216 189 63:71 53:69 59:71 57:71 58:71 Wells 177 191 182 149 218 199184 61:73 49:69 57:72 47:70 54:71 LaGrue 171 178 159 172 211 210 18262:70 52:68 57:70 53:69 56:70 Cybonnet 166 157 188 117 206 185 168 65:7259:69 62:71 59:72 61:71 Cocodrie 172 155 164 118 133 197 158 65:72 62:7162:70 59:70 62:71 Drew 164 164 159 118 201 175 161 60:71 56:68 59:6957:70 58:70 *PTES data from 2006 & 2008 **CC data from 2006-2007 ***AVEincludes the 2006 milling data from PTES and SEBES

In Table 10, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart, and five other rice cultivars. The data are the result oftrials at the Arkansas Uniform Regional Rice Nursery (URRN) from in2007. Column 1 shows the variety, column 2 shows the grain yield eachvariety in bushels per acre, column 3 shows the plant height in inches,column 4 shows the maturity in days at 50% heading, column 5 shows thekernel weight in milligrams and columns 6 shows the milling percent headrice (or whole kernel rice) as compared to the percent of total milledrice.

TABLE 10 Kernel Yield Height Maturity Weight Milling Variety (BU/AC)(IN.) (50% HD) (MG) HR:TOT Taggart 193 45 100 19.4 57:70 Templeton 18742 98 18.1 59:68 Francis 201 41 95 18.1 64:70 Wells 177 41 97 19.9 55:70Cybonnet 176 40 94 18.7 65.70 Cocodrie 205 40 93 18.3 62:70

In Table 11, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart, and five other rice cultivars. The data are the result oftrials at the Arkansas URRN from in 2008. Column 1 shows the variety,column 2 shows the grain yield each variety in bushels per acre, column3 shows the plant height in inches, column 4 shows the maturity in daysat 50% heading, column 5 shows the kernel weight in milligrams andcolumns 6 shows the milling percent head rice (or whole kernel rice) ascompared to the percent of total milled rice.

TABLE 11 Kernel Yield Height Maturity Weight Milling Variety (BU/AC)(IN.) (50% HD) (MG) HR:TOT Taggart 185 42 95 22.0 58:70 Templeton 187 3894 18.0 59:70 Francis 177 40 90 18.0 61:70 Wells 174 39 93 21.1 54:68Cybonnet 160 36 93 18.4 65:71 Cocodrie 163 36 89 18.7 56:68

In Table 12, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart, and five other rice cultivars. The data are the average ofresults of trials at the Arkansas URRN from 2007 to 2008. Column 1 showsthe variety, column 2 shows the grain yield each variety in bushels peracre, column 3 shows the plant height in inches, column 4 shows thematurity in days at 50% heading, column 5 shows the kernel weight inmilligrams and columns 6 shows the milling percent head rice (or wholekernel rice) as compared to the percent of total milled rice.

TABLE 12 Kernel Yield Height Maturity Weight Milling Variety (BU/AC)(IN.) (50% HD) (MG) HR:TOT Taggart 189 44 98 20.7 58:70 Templeton 187 4096 18.1 59:69 Francis 189 41 93 18.1 63:70 Wells 176 40 95 20.5 55:69Cybonnet 168 38 94 18.6 65:71 Cocodrie 184 38 91 18.5 59:69

In Table 13, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart and five other rice cultivars. The data are the results of atrial at the Arkansas URRN in 2006. Column 1 shows the variety, columns2 to 4 give the average grain yield for each of 3 different locationsfor each variety in bushels per acre, column 5 shows the average of alllocations of grain yield for each variety, columns 6 to 9 shows theaverage head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for each of 3 differentlocations and column 10 shows the average of all locations of head rice(%) to total rice (%) ratio for each variety.

TABLE 13 Grain Yield (BU/AC) Head Rice(%):Total Rice(%) Variety LA MS TXAVE LA MS TX AVE Taggart 218 203 180 200 60:71 55:72 53:71 56:71Templeton 169 256 203 209 62:67 64:71 58:68 61:69 Francis 230 233 190217 58:66 57:66 55:67 57:66 Wells 219 270 194 228 57:67 62:71 58:7159:70 Cybonnet 202 191 180 191 63:69 60:68 68:74 64:70 Cocodrie 188 222194 201 60:68 59:68 58:72 59:69

In Table 14, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart and five other rice cultivars. The data are the results of atrial at the Arkansas URRN in 2007. Column 1 shows the variety, columns2 to 6 give the average grain yield for each of 5 different locationsfor each variety in bushels per acre, column 7 shows the average of alllocations of grain yield for each variety, columns 8 to 10 shows theaverage head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for each of 3 differentlocations and column 11 shows the average of all locations of head rice(%) to total rice (%) ratio for each variety.

TABLE 14 Grain Yield (BU/AC) Head Rice(%):Total Rice(%) Variety AR LA MOMS TX AVE AR LA TX AVE Taggart 193 171 185 189 270 202 57:70 58:70 59:7458:71 Templeton 187 147 162 224 185 181 59:68 66:71 54:68 60:69 Francis201 195 166 229 192 197 64:70 63:71 51:65 59:69 Wells 177 144 177 216194 182 55:70 60:72 49:67 55:70 Cybonnet 176 172 178 195 152 175 65:7066:72 65:73 65:72 Cocodrie 205 171 200 197 158 186 62:70 63:71 52:6959:70

In Table 15, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart and five other rice cultivars. The data are the results of atrial at the Arkansas URRN in 2008. Column 1 shows the variety, columns2 to 6 give the average grain yield for each of 5 different locationsfor each variety in bushels per acre, column 7 shows the average of alllocations of grain yield for each variety, columns 8 to 10 shows theaverage head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for each of 3 differentlocations and column 11 shows the average of all locations of head rice(%) to total rice (%) ratio for each variety.

TABLE 15 Grain Yield (BU/AC) Head Rice(%):Total Rice(%) Variety AR LA MOMS TX AVE AR LA TX AVE Taggart 185 244 184 214 253 216 58:70 57:70 48:6854:69 Templeton 187 185 147 184 226 186 59:70 61:69 53:68 58:69 Francis177 228 167 222 200 199 61:70 59:68 45:65 55:68 Wells 174 248 148 197234 200 54:68 57:68 51:69 54:68 Cybonnet 160 205 181 176 223 189 65:7166:72 54:67 62:70 Cocodrie 163 216 159 209 225 194 56:68 62:70 54:6857:69

In Table 16, agronomic characteristics are shown for rice cultivarTaggart and five other rice cultivars. The data are the averages ofresults of trials at the Arkansas URRN from 2006 to 2008. Column 1 showsthe variety, columns 2 to 6 give the average grain yield for each of 5different locations for each variety in bushels per acre, column 7 showsthe average of all locations of grain yield for each variety, columns 8to 10 shows the average head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for eachof 3 different locations and column 11 shows the average of alllocations of head rice (%) to total rice (%) ratio for each variety.

TABLE 16 Grain Yield (BU/AC) Head Rice(%):Total Rice(%) Variety AR* LAMO* MS TX AVE AR* LA MS** TX*** AVE Taggart 189 211 185 202 234 20758:70 58:70 52:70 56:73 56:71 Templeton 187 166 155 221 205 189 59:6963:69 59:70 56:68 60:69 Francis 189 218 167 228 194 202 63:70 60:6851:66 53:66 57:68 Wells 176 204 163 228 207 199 55:69 58:69 57:70 54:6956:69 Cybonnet 168 193 180 187 185 184 65:71 65:71 57:68 67:74 64:71Cocodrie 184 192 180 209 192 193 59:69 62:70 57:68 55:71 58:70 *AR & MOdata from 2007-2008

In Table 17, kernel characteristics are shown for rice cultivars Taggartand Templeton. The data are averages of the following trials, 2007 ARPTRREC, 2007 Breeder Head Row Seed RREC, 2007 Stuttgart Initial Test Group5 and 2008 Stuttgart Initial Test Groups 4, 5 and 6. Column 1 shows thevariety, column 2 shows the class, column 3 shows the length incentimeters, column 4 shows the width in centimeters, column 5 shows thethickness in centimeters, column 6 shows the length to width ratio andcolumn 7 shows the kernel weight in milligrams.

TABLE 17 Kernel Variety Class Length Width Thickness L/W Weight TaggartRough 9.62 2.58 2.05 3.73 25.9 Templeton Rough 9.24 2.36 1.95 3.92 21.8Taggart Brown 7.59 2.29 1.79 3.31 21.2 Templeton Brown 7.16 2.11 1.733.40 17.7 Taggart Milled 7.22 2.28 1.74 3.17 19.7 Templeton Milled 6.652.10 1.67 3.17 16.2

Disease Evaluations for Rice Cultivar Taggart

Rice diseases are usually rated visually on a 0-9 scale to estimatedegree of severity. Numerical data is often converted to this scale. Arating of zero indicates complete disease immunity. A rating of one tothree indicates resistance where little loss occurs and in the case ofrice blast pathogen growth is restricted considerably. Conversely, anine rating indicates maximum disease susceptibility, which typicallyresults in complete plant death and/or yield loss. Depending upon thedisease in question, a disease rating of four to six is usuallyindicative of acceptable disease resistance under conditions slightlyfavoring the pathogen. Numerical ratings are sometimes converted toletter symbols where 0-3=R (resistant), 3-4=MR (moderately resistant),5-6=MS (moderately susceptible) 7=S (susceptible) and 8-9 VS (verysusceptible). Exceptions to established ratings do occur unexpectedly asdisease situations change.

Greenhouse blast tests are the primary means of screening large numberof entries for varietal reaction to the many blast races occurring inthe production areas. Although results are quite variable and testingconditions tends to overwhelm any field resistance present in the entry,this test provides an accurate definition of the fungus-varietygenetics. Blast field nurseries, utilizing both natural and lab producedinoculum, are established in an effort to better define blastsusceptibility under field conditions. Since field nursery is also quitevariable, new techniques are currently being developed and evaluated tobetter estimate cultivar field resistance to blast.

Table 18 is a summary of available leaf blast rating data^(a) fromTaggart and six comparison plants inoculated with the indicated raceusing standard greenhouse techniques.^(b) Data were taken from 2005 to2008. Column 1 shows the variety and columns 2 to 17 show leaf blastrating data of each race for each variety.

TABLE 18 IB- IB- IC- IC- IE- IE- IB- IB- Variety IB-1 IB-1 49 49 17 17IE-1 IE-1 IG-1 IG-1 IH-1 IH-1 1K 1K 33 33 Taggart 5 S 5 S 6 S 6 S 7 S 6S  3^(d) 7 S Templeton 1 R 0 R 0 R 0 R 0 R 0 R  2^(c) MR- 7 S MS Banks 2R 1 R 0 R 0 R 1 R 1 R 7 S 8 S Cybonnet 1 R 0 R 0 R 0 R 0 R 0 R 6 S 6 SDrew 1 R 0 R 0 R 0 R 0 R 0 R 6 S 6 S Francis 6 S 7 S 8 S 6 S 7 S 1 S 6 S7 S Wells 7 S 7 S 7 S 7 S 2 S 0 S 6 S 7 S ^(a)Standard visual ratingscale 0-9 where 0 = resistant and 9 = very susceptible. ^(b)Plants inthe 3-r leaf growth stage were sprayed with spore suspension, held inmoist chamber 12-18 hours then moved to greenhouse conditions. ^(c)Meanvalue of variable data presented. Ratings from seven tests were lessthan zero (R). However, mean ratings from four additional tests was 4.5(S). Entry may likely to be susceptible to this race in moisture stressconditions. ^(d)Mean value of variable data presented. Ratings from fourtests were less than two (R). However, mean ratings from one additionaltests was 6 (S). Data are insufficient to accurately indicatesusceptibility to this race.

Table 19 is a summary of available blast rating data^(a) from uplandfield blast nurseries inoculated using standard techniques^(b) forTaggart and five comparison varieties. Data were taken from 2005 to2008. Column 1 shows the variety name, columns 2 to 3 show the PTESPanicle Blast Rating and columns 4 to 5 show the PTES Leaf Blast Rating.

TABLE 19 PTES Panicle PTES Panicle PTES Leaf PTES Leaf Variety BlastRating Blast Rating Blast Rating Blast Rating Taggart 4 S-MS 3.7 STempleton 2 R 0.9 R Banks 3.7 R 0.5 R Cybonnet 2.7 R 1.3 R Francis 7.5 S6 S Wells 6.1 S 5.6 S ^(a)Standard visual rating scale 0-9 where 0 =resistant (S) and 9 = very susceptible (VS). Leaf blast ratings weremade on plants soon after inoculation. Panicle blast ratings were madeat or near grain fill. ^(b)Upland nursery plants in 4-6 leaf growthstage were artificially inoculated with multiple races IB-1, IB-49,IC-17, IE-1, IH-1, and IG-1 growing on rye grass seed. Plots wereflooded as necessary with plants being drought stressed during thegrowing season, particularly after panicle exsertion.

Table 20 is a summary of available Sheath Blight rating data^(a) forTaggart and five comparison varieties from field nurseries inoculatedusing standard techniques^(b). Data were taken from 2005 to 2008.

TABLE 20 Mean Overall Range of Overall Variety Numerical Rating RatingsRating Taggart 5.5 4-7 S Templeton 5.8 5-7 S Banks 5.8 5-7 S Cybonnet7   6-8 VS Drew 6.1 5-7 S Francis 6.5 6-8 S-VS Wells S S S ^(a)Standardvisual rating scale 0-9 where 0 = resistant (R) and 9 = very susceptible(VS). Standard sheath blight ratings were made after grain fill asplants neared maturity. ^(b)Nursery plants growing under typical floodirrigation were artificially inoculated at or near beginning internodeelongation with the pathogen growing on corn and rye grass seed.

Tables 21 and 22 are a summary of rice variety reactions¹ to diseasesfrom the ARPT fact sheet (2009).

For Table 21, column 1 shows the variety or hybrid name, column 2 showsthe reaction to Sheath Blight, column 3 shows the reaction to Blast,column 4 shows the reaction to Straighthead, column 5 shows the reactionto Bacterial Panicle Blight and column 6 shows the reaction to NarrowBrown Leaf Spot.

For Table 22, column 1 shows the variety name or hybrid, column 2 showsthe reaction to Stem Rot, column 3 shows the reaction to Kernel Smut,column 4 shows the reaction to False Smut, column 5 shows the reactionto Brown Smut and column 6 shows the lodging score.

TABLE 21 Bacterial Narrow Sheath Panicle Brown Variety/Hybrid BlightBlast² Straighthead Blight Leaf Spot Taggart MS S MS MS Bengal MS S VSVS S Bowman MS S MS S MR Catahoula S R S MS* MR Cheniere S S MS MS* VS*CL 131 VS MS VS VS VS CL 151 S VS VS S S CL 171AR VS S MS S MS CL 161 VSS MS S MS Cocodrie S MS VS VS MS Cybonnet VS R MS S MS Francis MS VS MSVS S Jupiter MS MS MS R MS KDM 08 MS MS S Neptune MS R MS R* MS PresidioS M MS Rondo MR R S MR RT CL XL 745 MS R MR MS RT CL XL729 MS MR MR MRMS RT CL XL730 MS MR MR MR MS RT XL 744 MS R MR MS RT XL723 MS R MR MRMS Templeton MS R MS MS Sabine S S MS Sierra MS VS MS MS MS Spring S MSVS S MS Trenasse VS S VS S S

TABLE 22 Stem Kernel Variety/Hybrid Rot³ Smut False Smut Brown SpotLodging Taggart S S S R MS Bengal VS MS MS VS MR Bowman S S S R MRCatahoula S S S R MR Cheniere S S S R MR CL 131 S S S R R CL 151 S S S RMS CL 171AR S S S R MS CL 161 S S S R MS Cocodrie S S S R MR Cybonnet SS S R MR Francis S VS S R MS Jupiter S MS MS R MR KDM 08 S MS R MSNeptune S MS MS MR Presidio S S S R MR Rondo MS MS VS R S RT CL XL 745MS MS S R S RT CL XL729 MS MS S R S RT CL XL730 MS MS S R S RT XL 744 MSMS S R S RT XL723 MS MS S R MS Templeton S S S R MS Sabine S S S R MRSierra S S S R MR Spring VS MS MS R S Trenasse S S S R MS ¹Reaction: R =Resistant; MR = Moderately Resistant; MS = Moderately Susceptible; S =Susceptible; VS = Very Susceptible. Reactions were determined based onhistorical and recent observations from test plots and in grower fieldsacross Arkansas. In general, these reactions would be expected underconditions that favor severe disease development including excessivenitrogen rates (most diseases) or low flood depth (blast). ²Based onreaction to common races of the rice blast fungus in Arkansas for themost part; however, Banks and other Pi-ta resistant gene based varietiesare susceptible to Race IE-1k, a previously rare race that has increasedin importance in the state since 2004. All rice varieties should bemonitored periodically for blast since the blast fungus is capable ofdeveloping new races that can overcome known resistance genes. ³OtherNotes: Most cultivars will be susceptible to stem rot under low K andhigh N conditions. Bengal and certain other cultivars become verysusceptible to brown spot under low K conditions. Most cultivars aresusceptible to false smut under high N, late planted conditions. Kernelsmut is increased by excessive nitrogen fertilization.

Kernel Discolor Evaluations of Rice Cultivar Taggart

An increasingly important aspect of rice quality is the level ofdiscolored kernels. In the field, kernel discolorations are caused by:(1) fungi alone, (2) fungi introduced through feeding probes of insects,and (3) physiological responses to adverse environmental conditionsduring grain fill. Infection by kernel smut, brown spot, or other fungialone often cause black, brown, red, or pink discolored kernels. Ricestink bug adults and nymphs commonly are found in all Arkansas ricefields and feed on rice kernels at all stages of development except athard dough and maturity. Very often because the hull is pierced by ricestink bugs fungi gain entry and the infection results in discolored andchalky kernels. Another cause of discolored kernels is apparentlyphysiological and has been called linear discolored kernels. Lineardiscolored kernels have a straight (linear) “cut” in the kernel that issurrounded by a dark brown to black area. All agents that discolor ricekernels are commonly found in all Arkansas rice fields. However, localenvironmental conditions control the level to which any one of theagents infest rice and rice varieties have different levels ofsusceptibility. Regardless of the cause, discolored kernels are costlyto growers and millers.

Table 23 is a summary of data taken in 2006 from URRN trials inStuttgart, Arkansas. Column 1 shows the variety name, column 2 shows thesusceptibility to rice stink bug, column 3 shows the susceptibility tokernel smut, column 4 shows the susceptibility to other damage—all otherdiscolorations that are not caused by one of the other four reasons,column 5 shows linear damage—non-insect caused discolored kernels(linear discolored kernels have a straight or linear “cut” in the kernelthat is surrounded by a dark brown to black area. The black color cannotbe removed by milling) and column 6 shows the susceptibility to falsesmut. A sample of 200 g to 250 g of rough rice from each replication isscreened visually for each of these discolorations and the number ofgrains which have each trait are recorded.

TABLE 23 Name Rice Stink Bug Kernel Smut Other Linear False Smut Taggart3.29 0.009 0.54 0.036 0 CPRS 2.20 0.014 0.49 0.005 0 XP723 1.64 0 0.32 00

Evaluations of Rice Cultivar Taggart to Straighthead

Straighthead is a physiological disorder which appears to be effected bythe oxygen potential of the soil. Under certain conditions, arseniclevels can increase in these soils or on soils where cotton has beengrown and MSMA or other arsenical pesticides have been applied.Straighthead may also occur in soils high in organic matter. Symptomscan only be detected after panicle emerge and fail to produce grain.Foliage tends to remain dark green. Rice grains may be distortedespecially on long-grain varieties forming a parrot-beak on the end ofthe hull. Floral parts may also be missing and under sever conditionspanicle fail to emerge from the boot.

In Table 24, the reaction of Taggart to Straighthead is compared tovarious rice cultivars in three separate trials from 2006, 2007 and2008. Column 2 shows the variety name, columns 3 to 5 show the rep 1,rep 2 and rep 3, respectively and column 6 shows the mean of reps 1 to3.

TABLE 24 VARIETY REP 1 REP 2 REP 3 MEAN 2006 Straighthead Templeton 7 99 8.3 URRN and ARPT¹ Taggart 5 7 6.0 PI 636726 3 5 0 2.7 Wells 5 7 7 6.3Templeton 9 9 9 9.0 Taggart 5 7 5 5.7 Cybonnet 5 7 7 6.3 Wells 7 7 7 7.02007 Straighthead Templeton 6 7 7 6.7 URRN and ARPT Taggart 5 5 5.0RU0001124 5 5 6 5.3 Wells 7 6 5 6.0 Templeton 7 7 7 7.0 Taggart 6 4 55.0 Cybonnet 3 3 5 3.7 Wells 6 6 7 6.3 2008 Straighthead Templeton 7 8 77.3 URRN and ARPT Taggart 7 5 7 6.3 Cybonnet 6 5 6 5.6 Wells 7 7 7 7.0Templeton 7 8 7 7.3 Taggart 5 5 5 5.0 Cybonnet 4 5 5 4.7 0Wells 6 7 76.7 ¹Based on a scale of 0 to 9 where 0 = no symptoms and 9 = no grainformation. Rating Scale: 0 = no damage 1 = 81-90% grain develop 2 =71-80% grain develop & 96-100% panicles broken from vertical 3 = 61-80%grain develop & 91-95% panicles broken from vertical 4 = 41-60% graindevelop & 61-90% panicles broken from vertical 5 = 21-40% grain develop& 31-60% panicles broken from vertical-appearance of parrot-beak 6 =11-20% grain develop & 10-30% panicles broken from vertical 7 = paniclesemerged but totally up right; only 0-10% grain develop 8 = 0-10% panicleemergence, no seed produced 9 = no panicles

Performance of Rice Cultivar Taggart in Disease Monitoring Plots

In Table 25, the yield in bushels per acre, or performance of ricecultivar Taggart is compared to various rice cultivars in replicatedrice disease monitoring tests located in grower fields in Arkansas in2008. Column 1 shows the rice variety, columns 2 to 9 show the yield ineach location, column 10 shows the mean yield for all locations for eachvariety and column 11 shows the coefficient of variation (C.V.). C.V.provides an indication of yield variability across environments andlower numbers indicate less variability.

TABLE 25 Craig- Prairie- Prairie- Variety head Desha Lonoke Poinsett DAHA Randolph Woodruff Mean C.V. Taggart 123 125 144 175 208 141 212 146159 22.0 Bengal 157 162 136 181 194 142 209 175 169 14.9 Bowman 130 131138 167 200 120 190 149 153 19.3 Catahoula 142 101 123 165 211 132 177153 151 22.6 Cheniere 153 116 136 169 195 139 225 154 161 21.9 CL 131145 133 120 150 203 151 202 156 157 19.0 CL 151 125 138 143 184 196 133184 186 161 17.9 CL 161 139 129 127 158 186 148 186 152 153 15.0 CL 171AR 136 120 120 150 188 152 189 156 151 17.6 Cocodrie 152 112 112 171 218156 220 180 165 25.1 Cybonnet 141 140 129 158 208 133 197 143 156 19.2Francis 145 182 137 191 205 155 226 206 181 17.8 Presidio 134 153 142151 173 129 200 137 153 15.5 Rondo 118 135 152 147 154 143 200 168 15216.0 RT XL 723 190 148 175 195 272 170 294 225 209 24.5 Templeton 156154 145 163 229 149 204 187 173 17.4 Trenasse 115 116 114 155 166 146190 164 146 19.5 Wells 143 154 144 164 209 175 217 160 171 16.4 Mean 141137 137 167 202 143 202 166 166 LSD 30.0 20.9 21.1 16.4 49.3 23.5 31.319.4 C.V. 13.0 9.4 9.4 6.0 14.7 10.0 9.4 7.1

Tables 26 and 27 show the influence of seeding date on grain yield inbushels per acre and milling yield in % Milled Head Rice: % Total MilledRice (% HR-% TR) of selected rice varieties conducted at the RiceResearch Extension Center (RREC) in 2008.

In Table 26, column 1 shows the variety, columns 2 to 5 show yield foreach seeding date and column 6 shows the mean yield for all dates foreach variety.

In Table 27, column 1 shows the variety, columns 2 to 5 shows themilling yield for each seeding date and column 6 shows the mean yieldfor all dates for each variety.

TABLE 26 Grain Yield Variety March 26 April 17 May 19 June 12 MeanTaggart 190 159 150 136 159 Bowman 211 175 147 124 164 Catahoula 181 186107 127 151 Cheniere 189 175 151 138 163 CL131 187 168 124 143 155 CL151215 178 119 144 164 CL161 164 156 148 92 140 CL171AR 191 153 115 109 142CLXL729 226 186 182 180 194 CLXL730 200 192 174 167 183 CLXL745 208 213170 173 191 CLXP746 247 212 184 176 205 Templeton 207 163 139 127 159Trenasse 179 171 139 118 152 Wells 185 190 172 128 169 Mean 200 180 149139 167

TABLE 27 Milling Yield Variety March 26 April 17 May 19 June 12 MeanTaggart 57-68 54-66 57-70 59-71 58-69 Bowman 61-69 59-68 58-68 59-7059-69 Catahoula 62-69 65-70 58-72 63-73 62-71 Cheniere 61-69 62-69 61-7057-72 60-70 CL131 64-68 64-68 59-68 60-70 62-69 CL151 59-67 61-68 55-6758-71 58-68 CL161 63-68 65-70 58-70 65-73 63-70 CL171AR 63-70 61-6852-70 62-72 60-70 CLXL729 60-68 61-68 58-69 61-72 60-69 CLXL730 60-6860-68 58-68 58-70 59-69 CLXL745 58-68 58-69 57-70 59-71 58-69 CLXP74659-68 59-67 57-69 61-72 59-69 Templeton 61-67 61-68 50-70 61-67 57-66Trenasse 57-66 57-65 54-66 59-70 59-69 Wells 61-69 60-68 52-70 63-7362-71 Mean 57-69 58-68 57-69 61-71 58-69

Tables 28 and 29 show the influence of seeding date on days fromemergence to on-half inch internode elongation and 50% heading forselected rice varieties in seeding date studies conducted at the RRECduring 2008.

In Table 28, column 1 shows the variety, columns 2 to 5 show the numberof days after emergence for each seeding date and column 6 shows themean for the number of days after emergence for each variety for allseeding dates. In Table 29, column 1 shows the variety name, columns 2-5show the days to 50% heading in days after emergence for each seedingdate and column 6 shows the mean for the days to 50% heading in daysafter emergence of each variety for all seeding dates.

TABLE 28 Days to One-Half Inch Internode Elongation March 26 April 17May 19 June 12 Mean Variety Days After Emergence Taggart 87 78 60 50 69Bowman 87 80 60 53 70 Catahoula 78 69 47 43 59 Cheniere 80 71 52 48 63CL131 78 72 52 46 62 CL151 78 69 51 44 61 CL161 CL171AR 83 74 55 48 65CLXL729 81 53 45 60 CLXL730 78 53 43 58 CLXL745 78 73 52 44 62 CLXP74681 72 50 43 61 Templeton 87 80 56 49 68 Trenasse 83 73 52 44 63 Wells 8477 55 50 67 Mean 83 75 55 47 64

TABLE 29 Days to 50% Heading March 26 April 17 May 19 June 12 MeanVariety Days After Emergence Taggart 121 117 96 85 105 Bowman 115 107 9580 99 Catahoula 113 102 86 79 95 Cheniere 113 102 87 80 96 CL131 107 9986 77 92 CL151 108 99 85 74 92 CL161 114 106 92 84 99 CL171AR 115 105 9084 99 CLXL729 109 102 86 78 94 CLXL730 109 101 87 80 94 CLXL745 107 9983 73 91 CLXP746 109 104 86 77 94 Templeton 118 113 93 82 101 Trenasse106 99 81 71 89 Wells 115 108 91 82 99 Mean 113 105 90 80 97

Table 30 shows grain yield of rice cultivar Taggart in bushels per acrewhen influenced by various rates of nitrogen (N) fertilizer. Data weretaken in 2008 at three locations in Arkansas. Column 1 shows thefertilizer rate of Nitrogen in pounds per acre and columns 2 to 4 showthe grain yield for each location.

TABLE 30 Grain Yield (Bushels Per Acre) for Each Location N FertilizerRate LHRF^(z) NEREC RREC  0 77 82 104  60 134 — 152  90 163 171 181 120182 176 183 150 178 177 194 180 171 173 196 210 — 169 — LSD_((α=0.05))13.8 17.8 14.5 C.V. (%) 6.0868 7.4578 5.7269 ^(z)LHRF = Lake HogueResearch Farm, Wiener, AR; NEREC = Northeast Research and ExtensionCenter, Keiser, AR; RREC = Rice Research and Extension Center,Stuttgart, AR. ^(y)A bushel of rice weighs 45 lb.

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

A deposit of the rice seed of this invention is maintained by Universityof Arkansas, Rice Research and Extension Center, 2900 Hwy. 130 E.,Stuttgart, Ark. 72160. Access to this deposit will be available duringthe pendency of this application to persons determined by theCommissioner of Patents and Trademarks to be entitled thereto under 37CFR 1.14 and 35 U.S.C. §122. Upon allowance of any claims in thisapplication, all restrictions on the availability to the public of thevariety will be irrevocably removed by affording access to a deposit ofat least 2,500 seeds of the same variety with the American Type CultureCollection, Manassas, Va.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussedabove, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications,permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is thereforeintended that the following appended claims and claims hereafterintroduced are interpreted to include all such modifications,permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their truespirit and scope.

1. A seed of rice cultivar Taggart, wherein a representative sample ofseed of said cultivar was deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-______.2. A rice plant, or a part thereof, produced by growing the seed ofclaim
 1. 3. A tissue culture produced from the protoplasts or cells fromthe plant of claim 2, wherein said cells or protoplasts are producedfrom a plant part selected from the group consisting of leaves, pollen,embryos, cotyledon, hypocotyl, meristematic cells, roots, root tips,pistils, anthers, flowers, stems, glumes and panicles.
 4. A rice plantregenerated from the tissue culture of claim
 3. 5. A method forproducing a rice seed, comprising crossing two rice plants andharvesting the resultant rice seed, wherein at least one rice plant isthe rice plant of claim
 2. 6. A rice seed produced by the method ofclaim
 5. 7. A rice plant, or a part thereof, produced by growing saidseed of claim
 6. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of saidrice plants is transgenic.
 9. A method of producing an herbicideresistant rice plant, wherein said method comprises introducing a geneconferring herbicide resistance into the rice plant of claim
 2. 10. Anherbicide resistant rice plant produced by the method of claim 9,wherein the gene confers resistance to an herbicide selected from thegroup consisting of dicamba, phenoxy proprionic acid, cyclohexone,cyclohexanedione, imidazolinone, sulfonylurea, glyphosate, glufosinate,L-phosphinothricin, triazine and benzonitrile.
 11. A method of producinga pest or insect resistant rice plant, wherein said method comprisesintroducing a gene conferring pest or insect resistance into the riceplant of claim
 2. 12. A pest or insect resistant rice plant produced bythe method of claim
 11. 13. The rice plant of claim 12, wherein the geneencodes a Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin.
 14. A method of producing adisease resistant rice plant, wherein the method comprises introducing agene which confers disease resistance into the rice plant of claim 2.15. A disease resistant rice plant produced by the method of claim 14.16. A method of producing a rice plant with modified fatty acidmetabolism or modified carbohydrate metabolism, wherein the methodcomprises introducing a gene encoding a protein selected from the groupconsisting of phytase, fructosyltransferase, levansucrase,alpha-amylase, invertase and starch branching enzyme or encoding anantisense of stearyl-ACP desaturase into the rice plant of claim
 2. 17.A rice plant having modified fatty acid metabolism or modifiedcarbohydrate metabolism produced by the method of claim
 16. 18. A methodof introducing a desired trait into rice cultivar Taggart wherein themethod comprises: (a) crossing a Taggart plant, wherein a representativesample of seed was deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-______, with aplant of another rice cultivar that comprises a desired trait to produceprogeny plants wherein the desired trait is selected from the groupconsisting of male sterility, herbicide resistance, insect resistance,modified fatty acid metabolism, modified carbohydrate metabolism andresistance to bacterial disease, fungal disease or viral disease; (b)selecting one or more progeny plants that have the desired trait toproduce selected progeny plants; (c) crossing the selected progenyplants with the Taggart plants to produce backcross progeny plants; (d)selecting for backcross progeny plants that have the desired trait andthe physiological and morphological characteristics of rice cultivarTaggart to produce selected backcross progeny plants; and (e) repeatingsteps (c) and (d) three times to produce selected fourth or higherbackcross progeny plants that comprise the desired trait and all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of rice cultivar Taggartas listed in Table
 1. 19. A rice plant produced by the method of claim18, wherein the plant has the desired trait and all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of rice cultivar Taggart as listed inTable
 1. 20. The rice plant of claim 19, wherein the desired trait isherbicide resistance and the resistance is conferred to an herbicideselected from the group consisting of imidazolinone, sulfonylurea,glyphosate, glufosinate, L-phosphinothricin, triazine and benzonitrile.21. The rice plant of claim 19, wherein the desired trait is insectresistance and the insect resistance is conferred by a gene encoding aBacillus thuringiensis endotoxin.
 22. The plant of claim 19, wherein thedesired trait is modified fatty acid metabolism or modified carbohydratemetabolism and said desired trait is conferred by a nucleic acidencoding a protein selected from the group consisting of phytase,fructosyltransferase, levansucrase, alpha-amylase, invertase and starchbranching enzyme or encoding an antisense of stearyl-ACP desaturase.